はこせこ

Japanese

はこせこ (hakoseko): the hakoseko can be seen sticking out of the girl's kimono just above the obi.

Etymology

Compound of 筥, 箱, 函 (hako, “box”) +‎ せこ (seko, uncertain).

Although the derivation of the seko element is left unexplained in Japanese resources referenced to date, this could be a compound of 狭 (se, “narrowness”) + 子 (ko, noun-forming diminutive suffix), as suggested by the alternative kanji spelling 函狭子, and presumably indicating the shape of the hakoseko itself. Alternatively, it might be from the puppet theater slang term せこ (seko, “box”), itself possibly a similar compound.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) はこせこ [hàkósékó] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [ha̠ko̞se̞ko̞]

Noun

はこせこ • (hakoseko) 

1. 筥迫, 箱迫, 箱せこ, 函狭子, 函迫: (historical) a women's billfold or wallet, often ornately decorated and kept in the 懐 (futokoro, “the pouch-like front of a kimono, inside the flap and above the obi”); over time, this developed into something like a small boxy purse, though still kept in the futokoro
2. 筥迫, 箱迫, 箱せこ, 函狭子, 函迫: (modern) a decorative such billfold or purse only used for certain special occasions requiring traditional dress, particularly the 七五三 (shichi-go-san, literally “seven-five-three”) ceremony for children aged seven, five, and three