Cell phone charms are now common around the world, but three years ago they were already wildly popular in Japan and almost unseen in the U.S. Those in the mobile industry would comment on the personalization of the devices in Japan, and speculate as to why one culture might take up on decorating so much more than another. I think most pundits attributed keitai charms to the love of kawa’i (cute), although it still didn’t quite explain why men were nearly as likely to have decorations hanging from their keitai as women were.

So I was surprised to learn that there is a long history of netsuke — carved ivory charms or accessories, some exceedingly valuable — hung on the hilt of samurai swords. It certainly helps to bridge the gap for me, in terms of understanding acceptance, perception, and mentality regarding phone charms.

(Thanks, Dad, for the tip!)