Two Tengu Carrying a Parcel second half 19th century Japan The tengu were originally thought to take the form of birds of prey and were depicted with both human and bird characteristics. The beaks of the earliest representations were later humanized as unnaturally long noses. This netsuke of a pair of winged creatures carrying a heavy load wrapped in textile, offers a fascinating glimpse of some of the most represented characters in Japanese folklore.. Two Tengu Carrying a Parcel. Japan. second half 19th century. Ivory. Meiji period (1868-1912). Netsuke