Necklaces made by combining beautiful beads were indispensable for formal dressing of Ainu women, and these beaded necklaces were considered one of their most valuable assets. The glass beads were acquired through trade with the neighboring continent, and were used in the manufacture of necklaces of special Ainu designs, by Ainu women. In later periods, beads from Honshu (Japan’s main island) were also used. The Hokkaido Ainu apparently preferred larger beads, and some of the necklaces on display weigh several kilograms.