Tenugui: the cotton cloth that belongs in every pack

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The tenugui is a narrow cloth of thin cotton, usually about 35 by 90 centimetres. Its ends are left unhemmed so it dries faster.

One cloth, many jobs

• towel after a hot spring bath
• headband or neck cover in the heat
• wrapping for snacks and lunch
• a small tablecloth for a picnic on the mountain

Why it works

It weighs almost nothing, dries quickly and gets softer with every wash. A piece of gear that is more culture than technology.

Room for your recommendation: which tenugui do you use yourself?