Wa-taoru "Gokigen Hashibirokō"

Good-humoured shoebills – the stoic stars of the bird world

This charming little towel bears the name 和たおるフェイス ごきげんハシビロコウ (Wa-taoru Face Gokigen Hashibirokō) – "Japanese towel: good-humoured shoebills". The design is devoted to one of Japan's most beloved animal stars: the Hashibirokō (ハシビロコウ, shoebill). This unusual bird, with its large, shoe-shaped bill and stoic gaze, has achieved cult status in Japanese zoos and become a symbol of calm composure. On a pure white ground the characteristic birds stand in various poses – now grey, now in soft blue-green – radiating that typical mix of dignity and unintentional humour that makes them so endearing. Gokigen (ごきげん) means "good-humoured" and lends the motif a tongue-in-cheek character – a cloth for animal lovers and anyone who would like to bring a touch of serenity into everyday life.