TENUGUI started using at the Shinto rites in Heain period (794 to 1185 AD). Come to use at bathing in Muromachi (1338 to 1573 AD). Popular uses for living ware come in Edo period (1603 to 1868 AD) by the cotton fabric popularisation. Not only useful towel, it also come for fashion item. After the Edo period (the period of national isolation) in Meiji period (1868 to 1912 AD) TENUGUI went out of fashion by Western culture entry. Today, there are lot of Western towel, handkerchief in our daily use but it is not passed away. Long and Rough plain fabric has some advantage which other towel does't have. Headgears for at farm work, traditional performance art, MATSURI (festival), KENDO (swordsmanship), helmet under wearing, headband, eye mask, sweat wiper, kitchen towel etc. Recent years, TENUGUI has another look at it use for wrapping like as FUROSHIKI (Japanese traditional wrapping cloth) And can find easy at the variety and craft stores. (ref. https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%89%8B%E6%8B%AD)
Here belows are some Tenugui which you can buy direct from Japan, amazon.co.jp.
If this is a first time to buy on Amazon Japan refer How to amazon.jp on the right side.
But maybe not needed because it's easy to do.
Good things about TENUGUI
- Colour shade come diluting, feeling come nice and soft day by day.
- Various pattern, seasonal pattern are also enjoyable.
- Fast drying prevents germs breeding.
- Thin, compact to carry with fold.
You can also cut to use. TENUGUI is unhemmed from the beginning. It will fray, but after washing a couple of times that will come to stable and then trim TENUGUI. This makes drying faster and prevents filthy to stick on the stitch. Also it's easy to tear, so it's usable for bandage in emergence.