Night Snail

The Japanese believed that the snail could cause rain. Spring rain is a good harvest! A snail writes poems on its shell and iris petal with raindrops.

Buson, Hokku. On spring rain.

春雨や小磯の小貝ぬるゝほど

harusame ya koiso no kogai nururu hodo

In the rains of spring Tiny shells, like pebbles, Glisten wet.

Netsuke Night Snail: snail shell, Japanese varnishes: black matte Sumiko-Urushi, glossy Kuro-nakanuri-Urushi, black translucent Roiro-Urushi. Snail length 4.6 cm, height 2.9 cm. The black iris petal is carved from ebony, the size of the petal is 5 cm x 4.9 cm. On the petal is a small snail – Takamaki, Japanese Urushi, gold, silver. Japanese characters are written in glossy Kuro-nakanuri-Urushi. Published in the International Netsuke Society Journal, volume 42, number 2.