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Tenugui, a must-have Japanese accessory!
In Japanese, tenugui is spelled “手ぬぐい” and literally means hand (手, te) and wipe (ぬぐう, nuguu). It's a cotton towel that typically measures 35 by 90 centimeters, often featuring traditional Japanese patterns or designs.
The name originated during the Edo period (1603 - 1868), but before that it was a luxury product. During the Heian period (794 - 1185), this type of fabric was used for religious ceremonies as a decorative garment. With the advent of cotton-growing techniques during the Edo period, tenugui quickly became very popular.
During the Edo period, tenugui were used for wiping hands and body, of course, but not only that! Some people wore them over their heads to protect themselves from the sun and windblown sand. Tenugui could also be used as emergency bandages, or to repair broken geta (traditional shoes). In fact, to make them easy to cut, many tenugui have cut edges!Tenugui were also fashion accessories. At the time, it was not uncommon to see people wearing them as scarves. Many elaborate designs were born, and dyeing techniques developed rapidly.
One of the qualities of a tenugui is that it dries quickly. Today, it's the accessory of choice for outdoor activities, for wiping away perspiration, for example. At matsuri (Japanese festivals), for example, participants are often seen wearing tenugui rolled up over their heads. Last but not least, tenugui can also be used as magnificent interior decoration, especially in the more elaborately dyed versions.
In Japan, there are now many specialized stores offering a wide choice of beautifully designed tenugui. It's even possible to find them with pop-culture designs, like the Pokémon tenugui you can find on YattaJapan. If you don't want to wear them as a fashion accessory, we recommend hanging them to give your home a Japanese touch!
Originally written for the October 2019 NihonBox brochure
Photo credit: Kamawanu
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