Collection: Ojime Beads

These hand-carved boxwood beads are inspired by Antique Japanese Ojime. The Ojime bead is  the sliding bead on the cord of the Inro Box worn on the obi of the kimono. These Ojime are hand-carved by contemporary Chinese Master-Carvers, who take up to four hours to make each bead. They range in size from 3/4" to 1".  

Traditional kimonos had no pockets so Japanese men and women wore a compartmentalized box called an inro to carry medicine and other small personal items. The inro hung below the obi, a wide fabric kimono belt, on a double cord. 

Ojime Magical Jewels of Japan . . . by Robert O Kinsey