Combs, ornamental hairpins, bodkins

As women's hairstyles changed from the medieval period on from the long, flowing style familiar from Heian scrolls to styles in which the hair was arranged on the head, hair ornaments, including combs and hairpins, became fashionable, especially in the mid Edo period. The decorative combs worn in such hairstyles evolved into a variety of forms, decorated with botanical or animal, landscape, and classical or auspicious motifs rendered in lacquer, makie lacquer, inlaid work, inlaid mother of pearl, and carving. Ornamental hairpins usually had a small spoon-like decorative tip; the stick was split in two to facilitate inserting it in the hair. Bodkins are short sticks originally used to roll up the hair in chignons and other styles; since the ends of the bodkins were visible, these too became used as ornaments.