A cotton, Japanese tenugui (hand towel).
Tenugui are hand towels, popular and traditional in Japan, and are traditionally lightweight cotton with raw cut ends.  They have many different uses in Japan, from wrapping everyday items such as books and bento boxes, to being used as headbands, tea towels and hand towels or draped around the neck on hot summer days or when exerting oneself. The simple, multi-purpose cloth is made of cotton fabric that grows softer with each wash.
Many people collect tenugui. They also look good framed or with bamboo rod attached to each end and hung like a scroll. Sometimes they are worn as headbands. In Japan they are used as hand and face towels and as hot weather & sports sweat towels, often worn around the neck. They can even be used as long furoshiki, to wrap, or as carriers for items, such as a bottle of wine,
History of Tenugui: In the Heian period (AD 794 - 1192) tenugui were used as accessories for Shinto rituals. Cloth was such a precious item that the use of tenugui was not widespread among the people. From the Kamakura period (1192 - 1333) onward, tenugui gradually became popular. In the Edo period (1592 - 1868) cotton began to be cultivated in various parts of Japan and tenugui became considered an essential item. It was around this time that people started to regard it as a special item, not only in terms of its functions but in terms of its artistic value. Then a contest called "Tenugui-Aw Ase" became a widespread event where people tried to win them with their original designs on them. Such competition contributed to the development of new dyeing techniques. In the Meiji era (1868 - 1912) a dyeing technique called "Chusen" was devised and it extensively revolutionized the industry. In or around the Showa period (1926 - 1989), a variety of associations were formed by people who love tenugui and such associations spread throughout Japan, with tenugui as an item no longer within the realm of daily necessity. Today there are many different colors and patterns of tenugui and they are used in various ways, including towels and headbands, and many people collect them.
Made in and bought from Japan
Please be aware that different monitors display colour slightly differently. Therefore the colour in the photos and description is a guide only

Condition:
New and unused

Measurements approx.:
Length: 90 cm
Width: 34.5 cm
Weight: 0.04 Kg