[Choosing Hemp and Linen]
We are finally starting to feel the full heat of summer. As I recall this familiar heat, I am reminded that summer always returns. On top of that, Japan is intensely humid. I often wonder how much easier life would be without this mugginess. Japanese summers make you want to live in a place where you can say, "No matter how hot it gets during the day, the mornings and evenings are cool." To make my time even a little more comfortable, I have started incorporating hemp and linen into my daily life. It began with linen shirts. Now that the mugginess has set in, I wear them much more frequently; linen jackets, shirts, and wide pants are wonderfully cool and convenient. Looking into its history, I learned that until cotton became widespread in the Edo period, most clothing worn by Japanese people was made of hemp or linen. Considering Japan's island climate—characterized by high heat and humidity during summer (July to September)—it is one of the most ideal environments in the world for wearing hemp and linen clothing.
While we hear reports of heatwaves across the globe, hemp and linen also play a major role in Southeast Asian countries (such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia), which endure long stretches of climate similar to Japan's. There, linen dries in an instant even when you sweat and lets the breeze pass through effortlessly. In the Mediterranean region (Italy, Greece, and Southern France), summers are dry, but the sunlight is incredibly intense. Wearing linen is a summer staple for both men and women to protect their skin from the strong sun while staying cool as the breeze filters through. Furthermore, in the arid regions of the Middle East and Africa (such as Egypt and the UAE), where the sun is so scorching that wearing thin long sleeves is actually cooler than short sleeves, linen is highly valued. Its strong fibers allow for lightweight long-sleeved garments that do not trap heat, shielding the wearer from direct sunlight while lowering perceived body temperature. Why not incorporate hemp and linen into your wardrobe for your travels this summer?
When it comes to food, the large seeds found in shichimi togarashi (seven-spice blend) are actually hemp seeds, known in Japanese as "onomi." Today, they are gaining attention as highly nutritious "hemp seeds." Furthermore, when cultivated, hemp grows with just rainwater and sunlight without requiring intentional irrigation, making it perhaps the most sustainable material among natural fibers.
Our shop offers popular hemp and linen products from Okai Mafu Shoten. In my own home, I use their linen coffee filter and linen dishcloth. I decided to try the linen dishcloth after hearing rave reviews from our customers, and it turned out to be just as wonderful as they said. In its "first phase," I use it to wipe dishes; it has a pleasantly crisp texture and comes in just the right size for drying tableware. Above all, it dries so quickly that kitchen chores remain pleasant even during the rainy season. I plan to transition it to a cleaning cloth in its "second phase," but it shows no signs of wearing out anytime soon. Since it leaves no lint behind, it seems ideal for wiping glass, which I am also looking forward to trying. I am thinking of getting a few in different colors so I can designate them for various uses. It is a fantastic item that I highly recommend as a small gift for friends. Additionally, we carry 100% linen handkerchiefs from Indigo Classic and pot holders from Tsuchiya Orimonosho. During this humid Japanese summer, let us stay as comfortable as possible using hemp and linen, traditional materials cherished in Japan since ancient times.
Okai Mafu Shoten's Linen Fukin
https://www.shokunin.com/en/okai/fukin.html
Okai Mafu Shoten's Linen Coffee Filter
https://www.shokunin.com/en/okai/coffee.html
Indigo Classic's Handkerchief
https://www.shokunin.com/en/indigo/handkerchief.html
Tsuchiya Orimonosho's Pot Holder
https://www.shokunin.com/en/tsuchiya/
Ginza Showroom
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/ginza.html
References
https://www.muji.net/lab/clothes/110601.html
https://www.elle.com/jp/fashion/fashion-column/a33228931/linen-history/
