As traditional Japanese clothing lacked pockets, to carry anything small it either had to be shoved into the folds of the kimono or the sash (obi). Specialized cases called sagemono were used. The most recognized form of sagemono was the inro which was worn only by the Samurai class.
Inro were tiny nested boxes strung on cords, kept shut by a carved sliding beed called an ojime. The cord would be shoved under the obi and a netsuke, a carved button or toggle, would hang over the top to prevent the inro from sliding off the obi.
Most often, inro would carry a personal chop or seal called a hanko as well as medicines.
