October 2024

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[Tenugui Is Comfortable]

Do you use a tenugui on a daily basis? Let me tell you about how I have recently felt so much lighter just by changing from towels to tenugui.

The towel is used every time you wash your hands or get wet with water while cooking, and is kept tucked around the sink or on your apron. Once you stand in the kitchen, they gradually get damp. Just by switching to a tenugui, I am less likely to worry that it is somehow damp. I had always been somewhat reluctant to wipe my hands with a damp towel, and changing it several times a day would increase the amount of laundry I had to do. In such cases, tenugui are of a good thickness, and natural materials such as cotton and linen are pleasant to the touch and absorb moisture quickly. And in no time at all, it is almost dry, so it can be kept clean. Of course, towels are fine, but there are times when it is not possible to immediately wash a towel that is getting damp, and I am concerned about this. If I decide to use a tenugui in the kitchen, it is not bulky when washing or storing, and how comfortable it is.

Next, when you wrap it around your head after taking a bath. After wiping the moisture from your body and hair with a towel, wipe your head with a dry tenugui so that air can flow between your hair and use it as a hair band. While taking care of your skin and cooling off a little, the towel absorbs the moisture in your hair and allows it to evaporate appropriately, so a hair dryer afterward takes only a short time and is a breeze. It is especially recommended in the summer because it is lightweight and does not get steamy when wrapped around the head. If you wrap it around your head for a few minutes before using the hair dryer, it will not flatten your hairline or get into strange habits.

In hot weather, heat tends to build up on the head, so tenugui is also useful as a heat stroke countermeasure. Wet the tenugui in water, squeeze it tightly, and wrap it around your neck or head. The moisture in the tenugui makes it cool when the wind blows on it, and its good ventilation helps release heat.

Above all, my favorite point of Okai Mafu Shoten's Linen Tenugui is that the natural texture of the linen material and its moderate firmness and elasticity make it stylish even when wrapped around the neck or head as an anti-heat or anti-sunburn measure. It has become a must-have item when going out or traveling during the hot season. I am very much looking forward to taking it out to festivals and outdoor music festivals in the coming summer to protect myself from the heat in a fashionable way.

Okai Mafu Shoten's Linen Tenugui
https://www.shokunin.com/en/okai/tenugui.html

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[Mt. Kenashi Observatory]

I went to Mt. Kenashi Observatory, a familiar night view spot for those who live in the suburbs of Otaru City. Mt. Kenashi is a mountain along Route 393 connecting Otaru City and Akaigawa Village. The observatory is located on the Otaru side of the mountain, about 470 meters above sea level, and offers a panoramic view of Otaru City and Ishikari Bay. Many people from Otaru and Sapporo pass this mountain on their way to Niseko and Mt. Yotei. The Otaru side of Mt. Kenashi is a winding road with sharp curves, which requires careful driving and makes you tense both physically and mentally. During the day, you can enjoy the view of the green mountains and the blue sea, with the Otaru cityscape in between, making you want to stretch out.

The other day, on my way back from Mt. Yotei, I entered Mt. Kenashi Observatory after passing the mountain pass, the sky was covered with a dark indigo color, but I noticed that the mountain ridges were reflected in orange, the remnants of the setting sun, creating a beautiful gradation from indigo to orange, which I wanted to capture in a photo! I wanted to take a picture of this! I was just passing the observation point when I was able to stop the car and take a picture. The gradation on the mountainside was beautiful, and when I looked at the seaside, the city of Otaru was lit up and I could enjoy the night view. It was a pity that I could not take good pictures with my cell phone camera, but both the night view and the gradation after the sun went down were more fantastic in person. It was a beautiful autumn day with no clouds in the sky, so perhaps it was a good time to take pictures, but some people were taking pictures with full-scale cameras fixed on tripods.

In Otaru, where our showroom is located, the leaves are turning red, green, red, and yellow, and many people go for a drive to see them at their best. The area around the Mt. Kenashi Observatory in Otaru is also a good spot for a drive, as you can enjoy the autumn leaves during the light hours and the night view after the sun goes down. However, the temperature drops dramatically as the sun begins to set, so be sure to bring warm clothing!

Otaru Showroom
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/otaru.html

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[Ceramic Japan's Sumo has been added]

The Sumo series, which makes you smile with its adorable painting, is Ceramic Japan's original figurine product. There are four poses in total, including the sumo gestures of "Shiko" and "Shikiri," as well as the humorous "Hirune" and "Akubi" poses, all of which are cute enough to hold in the palm of the hand.

Each is hand-painted by a craftsman, and the charm is that each has an exquisitely different expression. The Sumo series brings smiles to the room and is recommended not only as a gift for sumo fans, but also as a souvenir or present for people in other countries.

Ceramic Japan's Sumo
https://www.shokunin.com/en/ceramicjapan/sumo.html