Every Monday we present a special tenugui from our collection. We begin with a classic that honors the hometown of our manufacturer HAMAMONYO in Japan: Yokohama Mizutama .

Tenugui Yokohama Mizutama with red shoes and harbor motifs

The pattern: More than just points

At first glance, this tenugui looks like a classic polka-dot design (in Japanese, mizutama , literally "water drop"). But those who look closely will discover the symbols of the port city of Yokohama in the white circles:

  • The Red Shoes (Akai Kutsu): An allusion to the famous Japanese song about a girl who left Yokohama to explore the world.
  • The Ferris wheel: The "Cosmo Clock 21" in the Minato Mirai district.
  • The gas lantern: Yokohama was the first place in Japan where gas lanterns burned.
  • Ships & seagulls: symbols of the international port.

The technology: Yokohama Nassen

This scarf comes from Hamamonyo , a traditional dye works in Yokohama. Unlike many other tenuguis, this one uses the Yokohama wet printing technique instead of the Chusen technique.

The advantage: This technique allows for much finer lines and richer colors on the special "Wakaba" cotton fabric. This makes the fabric particularly soft and durable.

Our styling tip

Thanks to its intricate, graphic pattern, this tenugui is perfect as a scarf (from a distance it looks like a modern geometric design) or as decoration in our magnetic picture rail as a piece of Japan for the wall.

Tenugui of the Week

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