However, after the Meiji period netsuke became highly valued abroad and began to be produced mainly for export, losing its original function and coming to be no more than a pierced small elaborate carving.
明治に入ると海外から高い評価を得て主に輸出用に生産されるようになるが、この頃になると実用性を失い穴の空いた小型の精緻な彫刻となってしまう。