Tenugui
Rienzome – YOSHIWARA NEIGHBORHOOD Ukiyo-e Masterpieces Takao Dayū
$20.00Rienzome by Todaya Shōten 吉原界隈 浮世絵名品集 高尾太夫 <Picture by Masanobu Okumura (1686-1764)> Dayū Takao's Oiran Dochu, a mirage that appeared from the exhaled breath of clams. They composed the part with a silhouette and made it a tenugui. Takao Dayū is the name of the leading courtesan of Yoshiwara no Dayū. When a courtesan suitable for the name appeared, the name was inherited. This series was designed with the purpose of conveying the spirit of the culture of luster by arranging masterpieces of ukiyo-e, mainly from the Edo period, as tenugui towels. Approximately 37cm x 90cm (14,6in x 35,4in) Made in Japan 100% cotton ※ product is hand-dyed and made of natural materials. Changes in color and differences to the product pictures can and might appear! ※ product might be sold-out even though being available on this site. We will refund the whole amount in this case ※ ships from Japan. Due to COVID, shipping is still restricted. Please check the options for your country during checkout. ※ customs fees may apply in your country. It is either be paid to the delivery service or at the customs office by yourself. Other fees may apply regarding of the rules in your country
Rienzome – DRAGONFLY in a SWIRL
$20.00Rienzome by Todaya Shōten 渦巻に蜻蛉 In ancient times, dragonflies were called kachimushi, and they were especially popular among samurai warriors and they were used as a pattern for handles for weapons. (Kachi means winning.) It can also be seen as a pattern on yukata and kasuri from the Edo period to the present day. Approximately 37cm x 98cm (14,6in x 38,6in) Made in Japan 100% cotton ※ product is hand-dyed and made of natural materials. Changes in color and differences to the product pictures can and might appear! ※ product might be sold-out even though being available on this site. We will refund the whole amount in this case ※ ships from Japan. Due to COVID, shipping is still restricted. Please check the options for your country during checkout. ※ customs fees may apply in your country. It is either be paid to the delivery service or at the customs office by yourself. Other fees may apply regarding of the rules in your country
Rienzome – KUMOI
$20.00Rienzome by Todaya Shōten 雲井染 It is a pattern made by folding the fabric many times in a wooden box, tying it tightly with a rope, and applying the dye evenly over it. If the space between the folds is too wide or too tight, the dye will not be uniform, so many years of experience and skill are required. Due to the process, the pattern will differ with each tenugui. Approximately 37cm x 98cm (14,6in x 38,6in) Made in Japan 100% cotton ※ product is hand-dyed and made of natural materials. Changes in color and differences to the product pictures can and might appear! ※ product might be sold-out even though being available on this site. We will refund the whole amount in this case ※ ships from Japan. Due to COVID, shipping is still restricted. Please check the options for your country during checkout. ※ customs fees may apply in your country. It is either be paid to the delivery service or at the customs office by yourself. Other fees may apply regarding of the rules in your country
Rienzome – WATERMELON
$25.00Rienzome by Todaya Shōten スイカ Watermelon, a representative summer fruit, is used in juices and sherbets, and the seeds are also used as appetizers in Chinese cuisine. In addition, for medicinal purposes, the juice has a diuretic effect, and the concentrated one is effective for nephritis. It is dyed with "Hosokawa-zome", which repeats the dyeing process "Itaba, Konya, Mizumoto, and Date" two or more times to complete one pattern. Advanced techniques such as pattern fitting and color adjustment are required. Approximately 37cm x 90cm (14,6in x 35,4in) Made in Japan 100% cotton ※ product is hand-dyed and made of natural materials. Changes in color and differences to the product pictures can and might appear! ※ product might be sold-out even though being available on this site. We will refund the whole amount in this case ※ ships from Japan. Due to COVID, shipping is still restricted. Please check the options for your country during checkout. ※ customs fees may apply in your country. It is either be paid to the delivery service or at the customs office by yourself. Other fees may apply regarding of the rules in your country
Kitaya – LUCKY BIRD ARABESQUE
$25.00Kitaya Shōten 吉鳥唐草 鳥 古典柄 The arabesque pattern is a classic auspicious pattern that has the meaning of "prosperity" and "longevity" because it has a strong vitality and the vine grows without breaking. By making the motif larger than usual to give the presence of arabesque, and adding a cute bird motif to it, it is presented in a modern way without becoming a heavy classic pattern. It was made from this thought. But after all, the color is the traditional arabesque color! Approximately 34cm x 90cm (13,3in x 35,4in) Tokuoka (特岡) fabric used (it's a fabric with a smooth texture) 100% cotton ※ product is hand-dyed and made of natural materials. Changes in color and differences to the product pictures can and might appear! ※ product might be sold-out even though being available on this site. We will refund the whole amount in this case ※ ships from Japan. Due to COVID, shipping is still restricted. Please check the options for your country during checkout. ※ customs fees may apply in your country. It is either be paid to the delivery service or at the customs office by yourself. Other fees may apply regarding of the rules in your country
Kamawanu – COFFEE BEANS
$20.00Kamawanu コヒー豆 Each coffee bean is carefully carved into a mold, and each bean's shape is slightly different, making the best use of the hand-made texture. Approximately 33cm x 90cm (13in x 35,4in) 100% cotton made in Japan ※ product is hand-dyed and made of natural materials. Changes in color and differences to the product pictures can and might appear! ※ product might be sold-out even though being available on this site. We will refund the whole amount in this case ※ ships from Japan. Due to COVID, shipping is still restricted. Please check the options for your country during checkout. ※ customs fees may apply in your country. It is either be paid to the delivery service or at the customs office by yourself. Other fees may apply regarding of the rules in your country
Kitaya – MAPLE IN DOTS
$25.00Kitaya Shōten 子持ち紅葉 楓 小紋 If you look closely, you can see that the pattern of autumn leaves and maple is expressed in fine dots like in Edo Komon, and the pattern of polka dots is further layered and dyed. Only there where no anti-dye glue was used, the polka dots appear. What a luxurious tenugui that is! I think this is a wonderful way to use the traditional Komon in a modern setting. It's hard to see in the photo because of the lighting, but the fine pattern is light blue, and the polka dots are dark blue. Approximately 34cm x 90cm (13,3in x 35,4in) Sōri (総理) fabric used (it's a fabric with a rough texture) 100% cotton ※ product is hand-dyed and made of natural materials. Changes in color and differences to the product pictures can and might appear! ※ product might be sold-out even though being available on this site. We will refund the whole amount in this case ※ ships from Japan. Due to COVID, shipping is still restricted. Please check the options for your country during checkout. ※ customs fees may apply in your country. It is either be paid to the delivery service or at the customs office by yourself. Other fees may apply regarding of the rules in your country
Kitaya – ASANOHA
$20.00Kitaya Shōten 麻の葉 Asanoha means hemp leaves. Since the hemp leaves grow quickly, they are used to pray for the healthy growth of children, and the hemp leaves themselves are said to ward off evil spirits. The ground color is dyed blue, and the core of the hemp leaf is randomly painted with dark navy blue. Approximately 36cm x 90cm (14in x 35,4in) 20/30 fabric used (smooth and firm to the touch) 100% cotton ※ product is hand-dyed and made of natural materials. Changes in color and differences to the product pictures can and might appear! ※ product might be sold-out even though being available on this site. We will refund the whole amount in this case ※ ships from Japan. Due to COVID, shipping is still restricted. Please check the options for your country during checkout. ※ customs fees may apply in your country. It is either be paid to the delivery service or at the customs office by yourself. Other fees may apply regarding of the rules in your country
Kitaya – BLUE OCEAN WAVES
$20.00Kitaya Shōten 青海波 Seigaiha is a traditional pattern. Actually, it is a pattern carved when making a yukata. For the yukata, Kitaya Shōten made this seigaiha x polka dot fabric. Because of this, the direction of the seigaiha wave is random. This is a soothing and cool tenugui made by simply dyeing white bleached fabric in dark navy blue. Approximately 36cm x 90cm (14in x 35,4in) Uses Tokuoka fabric (a high-class fabric with a smooth texture) 100% cotton ※ product is hand-dyed and made of natural materials. Changes in color and differences to the product pictures can and might appear! ※ product might be sold-out even though being available on this site. We will refund the whole amount in this case ※ ships from Japan. Due to COVID, shipping is still restricted. Please check the options for your country during checkout. ※ customs fees may apply in your country. It is either be paid to the delivery service or at the customs office by yourself. Other fees may apply regarding of the rules in your country
Kitaya – GEOMETRIC PLAY
$35.00Kitaya Shōten 幾何学あそび Kitaya Shōten made a tenugui by collecting and combining many traditional patterns that have been handed down from long ago. This tenugui can be enjoyed in a wide range of ways, regardless of age, gender, or occasion. It is a masterpiece that luxuriously uses the traditional fabric "Enshu cotton pongee", which has been preserved since the Edo period in the Enshu region centered on Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. The stripes of the original fabric and the dyeing technique overlap, creating an interesting finish that changes the atmosphere. Approximately 40cm x 90cm (15,7in x 35,4in) Enshu cotton pongee fabric used 100% cotton ※ product is hand-dyed and made of natural materials. Changes in color and differences to the product pictures can and might appear! ※ product might be sold-out even though being available on this site. We will refund the whole amount in this case ※ ships from Japan. Due to COVID, shipping is still restricted. Please check the options for your country during checkout. ※ customs fees may apply in your country. It is either be paid to the delivery service or at the customs office by yourself. Other fees may apply regarding of the rules in your country
Shinedozome – COVERED IN SNOW
$25.00Shinedozome by Marukyu Shōten ＜雪持ち＞瑠璃色 A new color, lapis lazuli. The translucent navy blue is perfect for the coming season. It is a pattern that expresses "yukimochi" where the branches and leaves are covered with snow. The highlight of this pattern is the expression of fine snow powder and the simple structure of the branches. You can enjoy how to arrange the branches like a picture. This "yukimochi" was originally created as a pattern for yukata. Did it look cool under the midsummer sunshine? For this tenugui, Ise Katagami -owned by Marukyu Shōten- was used. Ise Katagami is a special paper with hand-carved patterns originally used for dying yukata. Ise Katagami is designated as an important intangible cultural property. Approximately 34cm x 90cm (13,3in x 35,4in) 100% cotton Chusen dyed made in Japan ※ product is hand-dyed and made of natural materials. Changes in color and differences to the product pictures can and might appear! ※ product might be sold-out even though being available on this site. We will refund the whole amount in this case ※ ships from Japan. Due to COVID, shipping is still restricted. Please check the options for your country during checkout. ※ customs fees may apply in your country. It is either be paid to the delivery service or at the customs office by yourself. Other fees may apply regarding of the rules in your country
Shinedozome – ROUND MASUME
$25.00Shinedozome by Marukyu Shōten ＜丸に升目＞臙脂 升 - shō is a Japanese measure box for rice or sake. It always has a square shape. Masume (升目) is often used for "grid". For this tenugui, the square pattern is cut out in a round shape and arranged in a polka dot pattern on a dark red (臙脂) base. For this tenugui, Ise Katagami -owned by Marukyu Shōten- was used. Ise Katagami is a special paper with hand-carved patterns originally used for dying yukata. Ise Katagami is designated as an important intangible cultural property. Approximately 34cm x 90cm (13,3in x 35,4in) 100% cotton Chusen dyed made in Japan ※ product is hand-dyed and made of natural materials. Changes in color and differences to the product pictures can and might appear! ※ product might be sold-out even though being available on this site. We will refund the whole amount in this case ※ ships from Japan. Due to COVID, shipping is still restricted. Please check the options for your country during checkout. ※ customs fees may apply in your country. It is either be paid to the delivery service or at the customs office by yourself. Other fees may apply regarding of the rules in your country
What is Tenugui? Tenugui seem like a simple, rectangular piece of cloth. But they are actually so mich more!
Tenugui have an over 1000 years old tradition in Japan.
They are hand-dyed with different methods, adjusted by the amazing craftsmen according to the season and climate.
The traditional motifs used for tenugui are full of auspicious meanings. But also modern patterns find their way into the world of tenugui.
Our hand-picked brands all hand-dye either using Hamamatsuzome or Edozome.
Both are dying techniques special to the according cities.
How to use Tenugui
As a company based in garden arts, we like to use the tenugui as a protection for our heads while working in the garden.
It keeps our hair clean, protects our skin from the sun, and keeps us warm in winter. At the same time, we can also use it as a towel.
Tourists like to bring tenugui home, hanging them in a frame as decorations.
But they can also function as tabel runner, placemat, as a scarf or bandana, or for wrapping presents ecologically!
Traditionally, they were also used to wrap and transport things, functioning as a protective kind of bag.
What is your favorite usage?
