Traditional Tenugui | Green Karakusa (Arabesque)

Traditional Tenugui cloth adorned with the traditional Japanese pattern "Karakusa" (唐草)

What is Tenugui?

Tenugui is a multi-purpose cloth that has been used in Japan since ancient times for all kinds of daily activities, such as wiping hands and sweat, cleaning, wrapping things, etc. It is always attached to the strings of kimonos.
Now, it is popular as gift wrapping, scarf or as art framed or hung on tapestry rods.

The charm of a Tenugui als lies in its character developed through aging. When you first start using it, the color is vivid, the texture is stiff, and the edges may fray. With continued use, it becomes softer to the touch, develops fringes at the edges, and the colors mellow.

What is "Karakusa"?

The "Karukusa" pattern, which features a vine motif, is believed to have originated from the Greek temples and the Achaean-style columns where similar designs can be seen. This motif spread from Mesopotamia and Egypt to various regions. In Japan, it is thought to have been transmitted from China via the Silk Road.

In Japan, the green background with white Karukusa patterns is quite familiar. It is commonly used for furoshiki (wrapping cloths) and is also seen in traditional lion dance costumes. Additionally, it is also famous as the pattern on bandanas worn around the necks of Shiba Inu dogs in Japanese TV shows.

Kamawanu

Tenugui is a hand-dyed rectangular cloth (approximately 13 in. and wide 35 in. long) traditionally used in Japan for daily rituals as a towel, bandana, or handkerchief and for gift-wrapping.

Kamawanu is specialized in the making of Tenugui and earth year the company introduces a wide collection of new patterns and colours to complement their basic collection. Kamawanu has selected 100 patterns from their archive of 150 patterns, offering discerning worldwide audiences the chance to explore the timeless sensibilities and qualities of Japanese crafts and culture.

Tenugui is made of 100% cotton and each item is rendered with a unique graphic characteristic since the dye produces different shades of colour depending on the weather, temperature and humidity of the day. Due to the qualities of the special hand-dyeing technique, the Tenugui is reversible since the pattern appears both on the front and reverse sides.

Other Tenugui designs are available.