Unseen inspiration: tenugui

2012-02-03 19:50:00

In kendo practitioners generally all look the same. With some exceptions, everyone wears a dark blue uniform and a mostly black bogu. Some people have a differently coloured do-dai, like red or blue or hot pink :p But overall one can say there's little to no space for personalization. 

The only part of the whole uniform that expresses the individual is the tenugui: a cotton towel, wrapped around the head. In Japan, tenugui have dozens of uses, from dish rag to headband, to table cloth, to decoration. And us kendoka use it to catch sweat and to keep our helmets clean(er). ^_^

Tenugui come in greatly varying designs. From very simple and plain, to colourful and intricately designed. Many tenugui are 100% meant for decoration and are sold at rather steep prices. There are shops specializing in the sale of these design concious towels.

And it's through their tenugui that kendoka get the chance to express a little individualism, character if you will. Many wear cloth with inspiring words or phrases. Others have cloth with their dojo's logo, or tenugui that were gifted at special occasions. Personally I already have quite a few to choose from and there are more on their way.

• Two plain ones, blue text on white, from a matsuri in Kyoto. Gifted by Niels-sama.
• Two plain ones, blue volcano on white, from Sakurajima. Bought during our 2011 holiday.
• One yellow, black and white tiger print. Made from a Hanshin Tigers happicoat. Gifted by Kaijuu.
• Two dark colours ones, with a skeleton and flower design. Gifted by my lovely wife, together with my bogu.
• One dark blue, orange and white, with various cats in period dress. Designed by Nagao Maru. Bought in Japan.
• One dark blue, with some accents, with white rabbits. Bought in Osaka.

Each of these has some special meaning to me, serving as inspiration for me. The ones from Niels and Kaijuu are reminders of friendship. The Tigers one is also for fighting spirit. The Sakurajima volcano ones are for slumbering violence. The white rabbit one is because of this :D 

And of course the skeleton ones are as reminders of my loving wife and her never ending support in my kendo! They are named as follows:

• 雨夜遊歩 (ameyoruyuuho), playing and walking in the night rain
• 蛍狩り (hotarugari), firefly catching
• 花酔骨 (hanasuihone), bones drunk with flowers

With many thanks to JEDict for the help in translating ^_^

kilala.nl tags: kendo, sports, japan,

View or add comments (curr. 3)