Ivory 40 x 39 x 21 mm, Okamoto, Kyôto, 2nd half of 18th century.

The dog (inu) is depicted crouching over a kemari ball, one front paw resting on it. It has a collar round his neck. His drooping ears, mouth, spine and paws have been worked out in exquisite detail. The dog's playfulness has been vividly captured in the animal's face.

The inu is the eleventh animal of the zodiac, representing the 9th month and the hours between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Images of dogs served as amulets for pregnant women since female dogs were said to feel no pain when giving birth, and for children because it was popular belief that a dog's life was an easy one. A dog was regarded as protective of children. The kemari ball, which is coarsely sewn seam and the binding girdling it to divide it into two hemispheres, was used at court for a game which resembled soccer.

Ivory 50 x 45 x 21 mm, Okamasa, a pupil of the celebrated carver Okamoto of Kyoto, late 18th/early 19th century.

The horse is struggling to get out of a curved gourd. The representation refers the Immortal named Chôkarô from the Chinese group of the Eight Immortals, who possessed supernatural powers. He always carried a double gourd with him out of which he could by magic summon up a horse when he wanted to travel.

The subject also illustrates a Japanese proverb: "Hyôtan kara koma ga deru" (From a gourd comes a foal) means something that is actually impossible, utterly surprising, or is a miraculous coincidence or unforeseen event.