Tenugui…not just a piece of cotton cloth

The history of tenugui dates back to the Heian (794 to 1185) period. It was originally undyed linen used as a head covering for rituals.  However, at the beginning of the Edo (1603 to 1868) period, bleached cotton tenugui gradually began taking the place of linen. 

Today, tenugui, a rectangular cotton hand towel, are sometimes distributed by shops as gifts for their openings or other occasions.  It can be used for anything – a washcloth, headband, souvenir or decoration.  They are found all over Japan in shops that specialize in the cotton hand towel or in department stores that sell them as souvenirs. 

My thoughts on the tenugui are that they are “too pretty to use” so I use it as “art” to decorate my home.  The collection consists of artwork for the season - New Year’s, Boy’s Day; food themes – sushi, fish, rice grains; flowers – cherry blossoms, lotus; hobbies - sake, baseball and many other delightful designs to display during the year.  And on top of all this, it’s so easy to store – in a few folds it takes very little space in a box.

You can find your own tenugui design and create a work of art to enjoy!

By: guest blogger Susan, my friend and fellow explorer.

Fresh from Tokyo May 2013

Despite all my efforts to divorce myself from fabric, textiles, etc.  I guess there still is lint in my blood after all these years.  A life spent with fabric cannot be undone.  Color, texture and all things fabric still catch my eye and I have learned to enjoy the experience and even appreciate it, now...

As seen in Tokyo:

Wonderful, bold, graphic summer colors on furoshiki tote bags.  These triangular ones (hanging) are shoulder totes, made of 2 pieces sewn together.  The folded pieces below are handkerchiefs and tenugui (hand towels).  They are made of light summer weight cotton and are ubiquitous in the spring/summer.  I love how there are seasonal prints.  My eyes are happy to see changing colors with changing seasons.  Things look fresh and different and I never get tired of seeing new design motifs and textile art.

This is "Japanese Marrimekko" to me.  Flat, bold shapes of color in cheerful combinations.

For Mother's Day, these little planter jars were on display.  Filled with glass or plastic marbles, what appears to be a recycled jar makes a great little desk top or table top gift.  Japan is great with keeping things from being super-sized.  So things always look "cute".  By the way, this is a living plant. 

Other small plants.....

Tokyo Day 2

My body clock is still a little off.  Even after 9 to 10 hours out walking and shopping; legs tired, hot and humid, I keep getting up every 2 hours during the night.  Maybe I'm too excited being in Tokyo and want to make sure I don't miss a minute.

Breakfast--I forgot how good Japanese yogurt tastes.  We head out to Ameyoko after a light hotel breakfast,perhaps a little jet-lagged and dehydrated after the long day of flying then hitting the ground  running, yesterday.

Ameyoko (Okachimachi station on Yamanote line) was just beginning to bustle at 10am.  Luckily Susan remembered the hair pins for Nicole because I was distracted by all the other products in the drug stores.  We found our spray on hair color for only Y580.

The nori vendor was friendly as Susan got her quota for this trip.  Next to him was a tea seller and we got stuck there tasting green tea candy and sipping fragrant peach green tea.  These make perfect take-home gifts. I found a sakura shaped spoon to go with the gift pack.  Got myself a little tea strainer too.

Kept seeing the BB cream that is only now catching on in Honolulu.  Got Japanese sunscreen and hair gel.  Love these corner drugstores. (The hair gel was a huge tube for around $3.00--too big; got confiscated at Narita TSA).

The day was heating up and our bags were full and heavy.  Learned that not every station has storage lockers.  Susan needed a new, larger tote bag for all the omiyage she'd gotten so far.

We needed a break so sat on tatami at Owariya, an historic 100 year old restaurant in Asakusa.  Tenzaru soba really hit the spot.  The shrimp was crispy and fragrant with sesame oil.

Nakamise is very touristy and there were a lot of them!  There was a 'parade' of drag queens and throngs of groupies and film people surrounding them.  We had to move out of their way as they swept past us to the shrine.

The two side streets were much more calm and nostalgic. We sat in the shade of a wisteria pergola with a few tourists and enjoyed our melon ice bars.  Fujiya Tenugui was closed!! (Thurs)  Kanaya-tawashi shop--Horse hair toothbrushes.  There are temples and shrines everywhere in Tokyo.  I love coming across one in a busy shopping area.