Tenugui Are the Most Versatile Memento in Japan

In Japan, colourful, hand-dyed cloths referred to as tenugui enrich our day by day lives. The phrase comes from te, which suggests “hand” in Japanese, and nugui, which suggests “to wipe,” however since their creation, they’ve change into far more than simply towels.

Tenugui first appeared greater than 1,000 years in the past; they have been initially manufactured from silk or hemp and regarded a luxurious merchandise. As soon as cloth manufacturing modernized, tenugui turned extra inexpensive and accessible, and by the late nineteenth century, that they had change into go-to, all-purpose cloths, used as mild towels for public bathhouses, cloths for cleansing and drying dishes, and whilst aprons. Lately, most tenugui are manufactured from cotton and are about 1 foot large by 3 ft lengthy. The quick edge is unhemmed, permitting the fabric to dry rapidly — the wabi-sabi imperfection is a part of its appeal. Over time, the cotton material turns into softer, just like a well-worn T-shirt.

After I journey all through Japan, I wish to buy tenugui as a memento, particularly once I discover ones with patterns that represents the locations I’m touring to, like heirloom greens in Kanazawa or espresso beans in Nagoya. Some outlets provide tenugui which are offered solely in a sure metropolis, so I all the time test these out first.

The cloths make a flexible present: At mealtime, tenugui can transport bento containers and can be utilized as a serviette whereas consuming. They’ll make trendy scarves or headbands and are a sustainable strategy to wrap presents. The material can be utilized to cowl a tissue field, to line a fruit basket, or as a desk runner. It may possibly additionally add a splash of shade to your kitchen, the place the quick-drying materials operates as a hand towel.

Their eye-catching designs will be something beneath the solar. There are seasonally impressed prints, like vibrant fireworks in the summertime or pink maple leaves within the fall, or regional specialties corresponding to blue-and-white patterns that you simply’ll additionally discover on native porcelain. A number of the designs, like ocean waves and hemp leaves, have been round for hundreds of years and are simply as timeless because the tenugui itself.

The place to purchase tenugui

Toiro

The tenugui at this Los Angeles–based mostly donabe retailer are from Echigo Kamekonya, a 270-year-old artisan dyer, and are printed with playful motifs like sake bottles and soba noodles. $17 at toirokitchen.com

Kamawanu

This Japanese tenugui retailer has offered a colourful choice since 1987, together with seasonal designs like watermelon and corn in the summertime. From $20 at kamawanu.com

Sou Sou

With areas in Kyoto and San Francisco, Sou Sou gives vibrant, authentic patterns, usually with Japanese-inspired elements like persimmons, radishes, and conventional wagashi confectionery. $15 at sousouus.com