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.

Didn't eat this....just looking

Tokyo Midtown is a a relatively new office/retail complex in Roppongi.  Have no idea what this building and grounds replaced but it's huge, with a train station in the basement.  It's filled with several floors of shops and cafes and even a dog grooming salon (Green Dog).  The rest of the skyscraper must be offices.  It was the week before Mother's Day and all the shops were featuring temptations aimed at your/our guilty feelings regarding mother.  These strawberry cakes and macarons sure looked yummy.  While our friends were in the sake shop, I was drooling at these pasteries.

Eating our way around Tokyo

 This is the famous waffle shop, Manneken.  Yes, pronounced like "mannequin".  Last year Susan and I followed a wonderful smell to a tiny shop in Kyoto Station.  We were transferring trains and couldn't resist.  Hot off the iron, crunchy and not too sweet.  Love at first bite.
So this year we tracked down this shop on Ginza 4-chome.  Got cookies to bring home and taste-tested a creme-filled version.  Can't beat the original, plain.  I wonder if there is always a line; this was Sunday, Mother's Day.

Ameyoko-cho is what I think of as "shita-machi"  old town Tokyo.  Stalls selling all kinds of foods, fresh meats, fish, produce, clothing, shoes, luggage, sundry items, etc.  Crowded and noisy; an assault on the senses but great fun.  Luckily, I had the rolling cart, which was soon stuffed with goodies!

Summer cottons

It's almost summer and the cutest cotton handkerchiefs arrive in all the shops.  From the fancy designer names in high end dept stores to the corner conbi (convenience) shop.

These nigiri themed ones were found in Tokyo Station.  There is no other station like this one-it's a city in the middle of Tokyo.  There are 3floors, I think.  Got a little lost but found our way to the street/outside level.  Couldn't buy them all, so must go back. Seasonal prints and fabrics...always changing!

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.....

Calming Collars

I ran across a magazine ad for this product--Calming Collars, and thought it was a great idea!  New Year's Eve in Honolulu is a very noisy night with firecrackers exploding everywhere.  Needless to say, the dogs (and cats) are terrified.  After years of tranquilizers, which I hate to give to my dogs, I thought this collar was a wonderful, natural and less invasive idea.
Has anyone tried one?   Here is the link to their website:  Calming Collars.  They are also on Facebook.

Winter in Hawaii

Yes, winter does come to Hawaii too. This year has been cold, wet and windy.  Well, cold by tropical standards. I hate wet feet, so invested in a cute pair of plastic rain boots so I can go slogging about in the rain.
This photo is looking toward Punchbowl crater.  The streets are slick and the drizzle steady. The wind has been so strong it's breaking tree branches, causing traffic messes!  Power outages, damaged roofs all over the state.  And you thought we had no "winter"?