Todaya Shoten Fireworks Chusen Cotton Tenugui Towel

Made in Japan — Traditional Chusen-Dyed Tenugui by Todaya Shoten

Founded in 1872 in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, Todaya Shoten is a long-established specialist in Japanese tenugui towels. Every design and colour palette is original, combining traditional craftsmanship with bold, inventive ideas.

From stencil making and dyeing to the final folding, almost every stage is completed by hand. Each tenugui carries the warmth and depth of hand-dyed fabric, with a character that machine production cannot replicate.

Three Commitments Behind Todaya Shoten’s Rienzome Tenugui

1. Carefully Selected Cotton

Rienzome tenugui are made from natural cotton that feels gentle against the skin. Lightweight, durable and highly absorbent, the fabric readily absorbs perspiration and moisture while drying quickly.

With use, the cotton becomes softer and more comfortable. Repeated washing gradually mellows the dyed colours, allowing you to enjoy the fabric’s evolving character.

Todaya Shoten uses specially woven fabrics named Shin Oka and Wakamatsu. Shin Oka is a fine Tokuoka-grade fabric, while Wakamatsu is a premium Jōsōri-grade fabric. Both are wider and more densely woven than conventional Tokuoka and Sōri fabrics, giving them added durability.

2. Thoughtfully Crafted Stencils

Todaya Shoten uses both hand-cut and machine-cut stencils, selecting the method best suited to each pattern.

For hand-cut stencils, experienced artisans draw on their knowledge of chusen dyeing to reproduce the original artwork faithfully. By carefully adjusting the angle of the blade, they refine the thickness of lines and the size of dots, anticipating how each detail will appear once dyed.

Their expertise also makes intricate techniques such as Hosokawa dyeing, which uses multiple stencils, possible. Machine-cut stencils offer easy reproduction from digital artwork and can be a more economical choice for certain designs.

3. Traditional Chusen Dyeing

Rienzome tenugui and yukata fabrics are dyed using the traditional chusen technique, with almost every stage carried out by skilled artisans.

Chusen-dyed tenugui have no designated front or back: both sides display the design. This reflects a Japanese appreciation for beauty in every detail, including the parts that might otherwise remain unseen.

Follow the care instructions supplied with the product. Slight variations in colour and pattern are part of the character of traditional dyeing.