Netsuke is the Japanese name for miniature ceremonial carvings worn by the affluent merchant classes during the time of the Samurai.

  

Isaac Kaplan began collecting Netsuke in the 1960s, and developed the collection into one of the largest and most noted in the world.

  

The museum has on exhibition some 200 items from the impressive Isaac Kaplan collection. All are outstanding examples of Netsuke, dating from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Netsuke carved in ivory, staghorn and wood and ceremonial pipes and sword fittings created from precious metals trace the collector’s acquisitions over a thirty year period.

  

Touch screens enable the visitor to view the collection while accessing comprehensive information on the art of Netsuke. Audio guides are also available.