The tenugui towel is a staple of every Japanese household. After all the word tenugui (手拭い)literally means ‘hand’ ‘wipe’.
These towels are put in the hours as hand towels, cleaning rags, makeshift hats, head ties, and aprons.
Their interesting block print designs also make great wall hangings.
So take a look at these 10 very cool tenugui towels including a few you can make your own!
Table of Contents
10 Cool Tenugui Towels
You’ll want a pile of these traditional Japanese hand towels in your home when you see these designs.
I love that tenugui are lightweight and perfect for travel as they dry easily.
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So take a look at these great tenugui designs to find one that you’ll love:
10. Engawa Tenugi by Japan Objects
A tenugui towel is a perfect canvas for authentic Japanese art.
This modern stenciled design on 100% cotton cloth depicts the classic Japanese veranda or engawa, complete with chimes, uchiwa fans, and a couple of chilled cats.
[lasso ref=”engawa-tenugui-japan-objects-store” id=”27446″ link_id=”6361″]9. Tenugui dyeing in Adachi
Expert dyers dye 12-meter lengths of quality cotton with foundation colors that are subsequently built on, with a variety of stenciled patterns.
This technique only has limited mechanization and the cotton is left to air in the sun.
8. Happi Coat Tenugui Towel
Check out this stunning Yokohama-made tenugui skillfully dyed using the Yokohama Nassen technique on special ‘Wakaba’ cotton.
You can use it as a personal towel or dishcloth as it is fully absorbent. Alternatively, display the funky happi coat pattern.
[lasso ref=”amzn-hamamonyo-tenugui-happi-coat” id=”27455″ link_id=”6362″]7. Carl Kanai Tenugi
Japan’s long-standing love affair with hip hop has been reciprocated with this super cool Carl Kanai Tenugi with signature print.
Hip-hop heads love to drape a towel, so it’s easy to see that this tenugui will have strong crossover appeal!
6. Red Koi Tenugui by Japan Objects
I love how versatile the Tenugi towel is. In fact, it is one of the best cheap souvenirs from Japan, so be sure to pick up interesting ones on your travels.
This vibrant red carp design by Japanese contemporary artist Hideki Kimura can be displayed in your home using a cypress tapestry hanger that allows the towel to hang beautifully.
[lasso ref=”red-koi-tenugui-japan-objects-store” id=”27448″ link_id=”6363″]5. Tenugi shirt
Tenugi can be repurposed into all sorts of craft projects including clothing. These cool handmade t-shirts have used a fish tenugui towel.
4. Classic Indigo-Dyed Tenugui
The stately deep blue of indigo perfectly complements the crisp white cotton of this classic tenugui towel that is doing a great job as a table runner!
A plain white tenugui towel is excellent for trying your hand at Japanese indigo dyeing techniques that use wood, string, and folded fabrics to create unique and intricate designs.
3. ‘HATOU’ (Billows) Tenugui
In Japanese, Hatou means billows and refers to this iconic Japanese print that will make you feel all at sea!
The deeper meaning of this pattern is life and its many circumstances, but I just like the stylish finish of this soft household cloth.
[lasso ref=”amzn-hamamonyo-tenugui-hatoubillows” id=”27460″ link_id=”6364″]2. The Yurakuza Tenugui Corridor in Fukui
This well-known Fukui gift and supply shop is a great stop if you are in Ono City.
It has a delightful corridor of over 200 hanging tenugui towels that flutter in a kaleidoscope of color between July and October every year.
1. Tenugui by Sakai Kikumori
Japanese kitchen blade specialists Sakai Kikumori are also known for their fine kitchen accessories including these fine tenugui towels.
They have been made using a traditional technique called “chusen”, one of Sakai’s traditional crafts.
Cool Tenugui Towels FAQs
What is tenugui?
What are tenugui made of?
Can you machine wash tenugui?
They can be machine washed on a cold cycle and air dried. If you own an artisanal tenugui that is displayed on a tapestry hanger, washing it will affect its finish.
What is the history of the tenugui towel?
As cotton cultivation and production flourished in the Edo period (1603 to 1867 A.D.), the tenugui went mainstream with the stylish block-printed designs we see today.
What is the difference between furoshiki and tenugui?
Tenugui vs furoshiki are more for everyday use, as a towel, apron, headwrap, and cleaning cloth while tenugui are for wrapping gift items or carrying goods.
How do you wear a tenugui?
How do I stop tenugui from fraying?
Can you iron tenugui?
Rounding Up
Tenugui towels are a great value Japanese souvenir and a neat decorative item for the home. These fun and funky towels are really collectible and I’m sure you’ll find a zillion uses for yours.
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