Small sculpture depicting two yokai, monsters or spectres common in japanese folklore, known as Ashinaga-Tenaga, « Long legs – Long arms », holding a fish. They appear for the first time in the Wakan Sansai Zue, an illustrated encyclopedia published in 1712 by Terajima or Terashima (Edo period) and are described as two yokai helping each other to catch fish, one being able to step into the river with the other on his back, the other, also called Chohi would then catch the fish using his long arms.
Their representation can vary, shifting from traits from indian, semitic or african people, however Terajima places them in Japan near the Shakusui river and describes them as Ainus, a people native to Japan. Their association on a netsuke symbolizes the duty we have to help one another.

Japan – Meiji era (1868-1912)
Length: 2,7cm – Width: 3cm – Height: 10cm