VISIT KANAZAWA, JAPAN - Official Travel Guide

※10% of the proceeds will be donated to in order to support the recovery effort of Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture, which has unfortunately been struck by earthquake on January 1st, 2024, and more recently torrential floods at the end of September.

Towel Dyeing Workshop

Highlights
・Meet the artist in person and enjoy a meaningful conversation!
・Step inside our studio, just a short walk from Kanazawa's famous Higashi Chaya Tea District
・The workshop is fun, simple, and enjoyable, making it suitable for kids as well!

What is Tenugui?

A tenugui is a traditional Japanese hand towel made from cotton. It is known for its versatility and beautiful dyed patterns.

Other than as a towel, you can use it as a gift wrapping, a souvenir, or even as a decorative piece!

It makes for a wonderful keepsake from your trip to Kanazawa.

Meet the Artist: Sumire Shinjo

Originally from the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa, Sumire graduated from the Musashino Art University, where she studied textile design and first learned about woodblock printing and wax dyeing, before moving to Kanazawa in the pursuit of her arts. Her work combines the aforementioned techniques for unique, distinctive depictions of motifs such as landscapes, plants, and animals.

Workshop Overview
1. Choose from a selection of tenugui towels, pre-dyed with indigo
2. Apply dye to woodblock stamps handcrafted by Sumire, and press them onto your tenugui.
The stamps feature Kanazawa-themed designs, such as geishas, the iconic Kotoji stone lantern from Kenrokuen Garden, 

yukizuri tree branch snow supports, the Tsuzumi-mon Gate, or cute daruma dolls. Let your creativity flows, and create your own personalized towel!
3. Once your tenugui is stamped, it will be dried and ironed to remove any wrinkles. After that is done, you will get your towel right then and there!

Details

Fee: 19,800 yen for a group of 2, plus an additional 8,000 yen for each person after that
A minimum of 2 participants, with a maximum of 8 (Please consult with us if you are a single participant or wish to bring a larger group)

Notes

Please make your reservation at least one week before your intended date to allow us to confirm the artist's availability
No refunds will be given for cancellations made less than a week before the intended date
We cannot ship overseas

By taking part in these hands-on workshops, you will help contribute to creating new opportunities for up-and-coming artists working in Kanazawa.
Japan is currently facing a nationwide crisis, as more and more artisans find themselves without anyone in 

younger generations to teach their techniques to preserve Japan’s precious traditional crafts.
We believe that participation in these workshops will benefit the artists, not only by exposing these crafts to more potential successors, 

but also by providing them with inspiration and motivation through their interactions with you. We therefore wholeheartedly invite you to join us for the workshop!