[Handkerchief-Loving Japanese]

I recently came across an online news article about a topic trending on the Chinese social media platform Rednote: "Why do Japanese people love handkerchiefs so much?" It brought back a memory of when I handed a handkerchief and a packet of pocket tissues from my bag to a Chinese friend who had spilled a drink. She was moved and exclaimed, "That's so Japanese of you! You always carry a handkerchief!" Carrying a handkerchief and tissues has been a habit of mine since childhood—so much so that I feel restless if I ever forget them. Her reaction felt remarkably fresh to me and made me realize that carrying a handkerchief might actually be a uniquely Japanese custom.

Carrying a handkerchief as a matter of course is second nature for Japanese people. Looking back, "handkerchief and tissue" were always listed as a set on the required items list in elementary school, and even further back in kindergarten. Washing hands and drying them with a handkerchief is something we do multiple times a day—after using the restroom, before meals, and on many other occasions. There is actually a solid historical background behind this action, which we perform routinely without a second thought.

The habit of "washing hands" is closely related to the concept of "hygiene" introduced after the Meiji period, as well as to school education. Nagayo Sensai is said to have brought the concept of "hygiene" to Japan. Accompanying the Iwakura Mission in 1871 (Meiji 4), he learned about administrative agencies in Europe and the United States responsible for public health. After returning to Japan, he became the first director of the Sanitary Bureau of the Ministry of Home Affairs, coined the Japanese term "eisei" (hygiene), and worked tirelessly to establish Japan's health administration. Furthermore, in 1887 (Meiji 20), against the backdrop of rampant waterborne infectious diseases such as cholera and dysentery, Japan's first modern water supply system was constructed in Yokohama. Around the same time, Japan's first soap factory was founded, leading to the widespread adoption of soap across the country. Following these eras, a major shift in household hygiene environments occurred after the end of World War II in 1945 (Showa 20). Under the guidance of GHQ, the "Livelihood Improvement Extension Work" involved not only legislative and infrastructure developments, but also home advisors visiting rural communities to improve toilet sanitation and raise awareness about handwashing. These activities also influenced school education, where the importance of handwashing and infectious disease prevention was promoted, establishing the habit of handwashing among the general public. While the habit of handwashing was thus built to remove physical dirt and maintain hygiene, Japan has also held a belief since ancient times that the mind and body's spiritual impurity (kegare) should be cleansed with river or ocean water. Before worshipping at a Shinto shrine, there is a ritual of cleansing one's hands and mouth at a chozuya (water pavilion), which is said to be a simplified form of misogi (ritual purification). The Japanese habit of handwashing may well be deeply connected to this Japanese spirituality of "purification."

Existing alongside this habit of handwashing was the tool for "drying hands." Handkerchiefs arrived in Japan from the West following the opening of the country in the 19th century, but before that, tenugui (traditional cotton towels) were generally used. Tenugui have a long history, dating back to the Nara and Heian periods, when they were used by a select few of high status for special purposes, such as wiping Buddhist statues or serving as accessories in sacred rituals. During the Sengoku period, they spread to the general public. As cotton cultivation flourished in the Edo period, tenugui became even more widely used—not only for bathing and handwashing, but also as sunshades, headscarves, and aprons, becoming an indispensable daily necessity. In this way, handkerchiefs eventually took over the role that tenugui had long fulfilled.

Combining historical factors such as ancient Japanese spirituality, the development of public health, and school education, it becomes clear how the handkerchief-loving Japanese population came to be. As a side note, when do you think handkerchiefs sell the most in Japan? It is said to be March, a month filled with celebratory occasions such as workplace transfers, graduations, and entrance into higher education. Department stores call this period the "handkerchief sales campaign" and carefully plan their floor layouts and product lineups. Handkerchiefs are affordable, and people often give them as gifts, thinking, "They're practical and used every day." Looking at it again, this reflects just how deeply rooted the habit of washing hands and wiping them with a handkerchief is in Japanese culture.

In Japan, a true handkerchief superpower, you can find a wide variety of handkerchiefs differing in materials, designs, and sizes. We hope you find your personal favorite, born from the craftsmanship of a country that loves handkerchiefs.

Indigo Classic's Handkerchief
https://www.shokunin.com/en/indigo/handkerchief.html
Ao's Color Handkerchief
https://www.shokunin.com/en/ao/handkerchief.html
Okai Mafu Shoten's Handwoven Linen Handkerchief
https://www.shokunin.com/en/okai/handkerchief.html

References
https://www.ndl.go.jp/portrait/e/datas/306
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenugui
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000963.000069859.html
https://www.ndl.go.jp/portrait/e/pickup/006
https://www.mizu.gr.jp/kikanshi/no11/06.html
https://www.kenko-kenbi.or.jp/columns/water/2007/
https://jsda.org/w/01_katud/ca263_history1.html
https://www.kokugakuin.ac.jp/article/10585