National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

This “stone belt” (J., sekitai) would have been worn by noblemen as part of their formal court dress (J., sokutai). As the name implies, it is an ornamented leather belt. Four rectangles of speckled rhinoceros horn and three rounded stone decorations are still attached to the lacquered leather base. Belts with speckled rhinoceros horn were used by nobles of the fourth and fifth ranks. The pouch for the belt is made of red brocade with crane roundels and is secured on top by a braided cord (J., kumihimo) that also serves as decoration.