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Ise Cotton Okage Hand Towel, Shichigosan Ornament/Lapis Lazuli

JP¥ 1,500 (US$ 11.97)


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The "Okage" (which stands for "thanks to" in Japanese) hand towel series makes you remember that you're here thanks to the wisdom of nautre, environment and culture.
A Japanese original "(authentic) chusen dyeing" technique is adopted to dye traditional "Ise cotton" using "Ise stencil", a national traditional craftwork. Each piece of the quality hand towel is thus hand-dyed meticulously.
It feels better and better as you wash, and its texture becomes finer and finer as you use.

Shichigosan ornament
In well-known ancient literatures, there are descriptions about this sacred ornament under the name of "Shimenawa" or "Shimekurinawa", and it's now commonly called as "Shimekazari". It's also called as "Shichigosan (7, 5, 3) ornament" as 7, 5 and 3 bundles of straws are hanged at regular intervals in it.

Families in the Ise region place the Shichigosan ornament in the entrances of their residences throughout the year to keep evil and diseases away and to pray for the well-being of their family.
It derives from a legend related to a man who gave warm hospitality to the God "Susanoo-no-mikoto", who was on a journey to find a bride and arrived Ise being exhausted several thousands years ago.
After the god found a bride, he revisited the man. He revealed his identity to the man, and put up a straw ornament on his house to keep misfortune away and bring eternal happiness to him and his offsprings.
Thanks to the legend, people in the Ise region decorate their houses with this ornament the whole year as a talisman to keep evil away and bring fortune. A shrine in the region distributes the ornament at the end of year to worship the god and legend.

●Materials: 100% cotton
●Size (cm): Length 89.5 x Width 35
●Weight (item only): 33g
●Weight (packaging material incl.): 40g
●Made in Mie Prefecture
●Brand Name: Tokowakaya
[Handling Instructions]
*Edges are unfinished, so when you first start to use this there will be fraying. This will naturally fall off.
*Do not tumble dry
[Other] Should there be no stock, item manufacture will take place after order placement. Depending on the item, delivery may be delayed. Please contact customer service regarding the delivery date.

Item No. W05575