Todaya Shoten Lion & Peony Japanese Tenugui Towel

Todaya Shoten 150th Anniversary Artisan Tenugui — Karajishi & Peonies

Created to commemorate Todaya Shoten’s 150th anniversary, this special tenugui revives an intricate archival design using an original historic stencil.

About 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 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 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 their subtle changes over time. The same commitment to distinctive, high-quality fabrics extends to Todaya Shoten’s yukata and other products.

Rienzome tenugui use specially woven fabrics named Shin Oka and Wakamatsu. Shin Oka corresponds to Tokuoka, a finer grade than standard Oka fabric, while Wakamatsu corresponds to Jōsōri, a higher grade than standard Sōri. Both are wider and more densely woven than conventional Tokuoka and Sōri fabrics, providing added durability.

2. Thoughtfully Crafted Stencils

Todaya Shoten primarily uses hand-cut and machine-cut stencils for chusen dyeing, selecting the method best suited to each pattern.

For hand-cut stencils, experienced artisans carefully adjust the blade angle, line thickness and dot size to ensure the dyed result faithfully reflects the original artwork. Their expertise also makes complex techniques such as Hosokawa dyeing, which uses multiple stencils, possible.

Machine cutting, a more recent technique that has grown in popularity, allows easy reproduction from digital artwork and can be more economical for certain designs.

3. Traditional Chusen Dyeing

Rienzome yukata and tenugui are dyed in specialist chusen workshops, 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 even in hidden details, ensuring that whichever side is used can be enjoyed as the front.

The chusen technique allows dye to penetrate through the full thickness of the cloth and into the core of its fibres.

150th Anniversary Artisan Collection

From Todaya Shoten’s extensive stencil archive, historic yukata stencils were selected and revived as tenugui designs. Their exceptionally intricate patterns are considered too finely detailed to recreate today.

If an original stencil tears, the design can no longer be reproduced and will be discontinued. Availability therefore depends on the continued condition of these irreplaceable stencils.

Design No. 432 — Karajishi & Peonies

The karajishi is a mythical Chinese lion introduced to Japan alongside Esoteric Buddhist art. It is distinguished by abundant, flame-like curls around the sides of its head, neck and tail, with decorative markings scattered across its body and limbs.

Fabric & Care Notes

The short ends are intentionally left unhemmed, as is traditional for tenugui. Some dye may transfer through perspiration or washing during initial use.

Follow the care instructions supplied with the product.