traditional tenugui with showing a steam locomotive emerging from a tunnel under vivid fresh greenery
rienzome tenugui steam locomotive todaya shoten
Rienzome Tenugui Steam Locomotive | Hand dyed | Todaya Shoten
Rienzome Tenugui Steam Locomotive | Hand dyed | Todaya Shoten

Rienzome Tenugui Steam Locomotive | Hand dyed | Todaya Shoten

Sale price$25.00
SKU: TG0006

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Pickup available at Majime Life Artarmon Usually ready in 24 hours

Rienzome Tenugui Steam Locomotive | Hand dyed | Todaya Shoten

Majime Life Artarmon

Pickup available, usually ready in 24 hours

28 Elizabeth Street
Artarmon NSW 2064
Australia

+61299063648

With a powerful black steam locomotive emerging through fresh greenery, the artwork of this tenugui evokes a feeling of nostalgia from the industrial Meiji era of Japan. Fun fact - the year 1872 which is shown on the front of the train is the year Todaya Shoten, the maker of this tenugui, was founded. It is also the year where Japan's first railway opened between Shinbashi and Yokohama in Tokyo. 

This piece would be particularly beautiful as a decorative tapestry at home. But of course, you can use it as a light hand towl or gift wrap. 

About tenugui

Due to the 'chusen' dyeing technique, both sides are considered the front. Read more about it below. 

Tenugui are very thin pieces of cotton fabric. You can use them for pretty much anything. While they are traditionally used as a hand towel because of their superiour absorption properties, you can use them as a table runner, wrap, head scarf (they are commonly used as a head band in Kendo), and even just as a tapestry piece.

Traditional tenugui have short edges that are unhemmed. This means they are frayed at the shorter ends, which is completely normal. The fraying will stop naturally and lock into place after a few washes. 

Product details

  • Hand made in Japan
  • 100% cotton
  • 37 x 98cm in size
  • Unhemmed shorter edges, so fraying is completely normal
  • Fraying will naturally stop and lock into place after a few washes

About Todaya Shoten Rienzome

Founded in Nihonbashi in 1872, Todaya Shoten has been creating distinctive tenugui that blend traditional Japanese craftsmanship with bold, original design. Each Rienzome (their flagship brand) tenugui is made from high-quality natural cotton and crafted largely by hand, giving the fabric a warmth and character that machine production cannot reproduce.

Specially woven “Nioka” and “Wakamatsu” fabrics offer exceptional softness, durability, absorbency, and a refined feel that improves with use. Traditional Chusen hand-dyeing allows the color to penetrate deeply through the fibers, creating rich, expressive tones on both sides of the cloth. Hand-carved and precision machine-carved stencils are carefully selected to suit each design, ensuring even intricate patterns are reproduced beautifully.

Repeated washing over time softens the fabric and gently develops the color. This gives each tenugui a unique and evolving character. Combining heritage, craftsmanship and sensibility, Rienzome tenugui are both practical and beautiful.

Product care

  • Refer to the product care tab for full instructions
  • Do not purposedly pull on the loose frays at the end
  • Colour may transfer due to sweat or friction on first use
  • Hand wash in plenty of water separately from other fabrics
  • Avoid soaking in water
  • Medium heat iron