Yufuin Hand Dyed Tenugui by Yotsume

This tenugui was made by Toyokazu Ono at his Yotsume dye studio, in Oita, south Japan.

The design was inspired by the hot spring resort town of Yufuin, also in Oita.

Known for its hospitality, and traditional street scapes - Ono rather places the emphasis on the natural source of Yufuin’s renown. This is Yufudake volcano, and its geologically heated water source.

Each tenugui is 90cm by 35cm, and can be hung from the ceiling, or stretched across a table. It can also be used as a sustainable wrap, or as a light towel.

It was completed using the chusen dye style, and is presented in the ‘hanada’ deep blue shade. The cloth itself is 100% cotton.

About Yotsume

Yotsume Somenuno-sha is the dye studio of Toyokazu Ono.  Based in Kunisaki on the north-eastern tip of Kyushu island, Ono practices katazome, or Japanese stencil dye.  From a family who have made dye works for temples and Japanese businesses for more than a century, Ono takes his influences from the mid-century revival in katazome led by Keisuke Serizawa, and modern stencil based graffiti.  The results are handmade dye works rich in colour and pattern, that offer both a contemporary riff on a traditional craft, and tap into a rich aesthetic seam.