When you start travelling to new places, you notice items that were never on your radar before. When I first travelled to Japan, Fude brushes were obviously at the very top of my shopping list. But very quickly something else started drawing me in: towels.
Little towels are very popular in Japan, many people have them in their pockets or handbags. I noticed them being used, amongst other things, by many people to dry their hands in public bathrooms. Anyway, since I saw that, I often have one in my handbag as well. They are so incredibly handy for different purposes and they are so pretty. Some are embroidered, some showcase such beautiful illustrations and colours.
After a few years and lots of travels, I built quite a collection! Some of them are gifts I received but 99% I purchased myself. I’d get them as souvenirs from a special place, or because they feature a character I love. I bought all these in Japan but actually, most of these little towels aren’t made in Japan.
I was purchasing these towels because I loved the designs and textures, but I quickly started to be more particularly interested by those that were made in Japan. I had already heard of Imabari towels, so I began seeking out towels produced in that region, with the Imabari seal attached, that small red, white, and blue tag makes them instantly recognizable.
ABOUT IMABARI
For those of you who don’t know about Imabari, it’s located in Ehime prefecture, in Shikoku island. By the way, the history of Shikoku is so interesting and I recommend you to have a look at this island’s surprising geography. Maybe start with this short video about the island if you’re curious.
Imabari is a little tricky to access so we rent a car and drive across the Kurushima-Kaikyõ Bridge.
We’ve visited Imabari twice now, and the journey has become one of the most spectacular routes we’ve ever taken. The islands scattered across the Seto Sea create such breathtaking scenery. Each time we cross that bridge, the car falls completely silent, although we can hear the very loud cicadas, but we’re just absorbed by the beauty around us, left without words. For our next trip to Imabari, we’re hoping to stay a little longer and take the time to truly explore the islands at a slower pace.
Imabari is considered the leader, and really, the heart of towel production in Japan. It’s renowned for its safe, high‑quality yarn and for the exceptionally pure, soft water used in the manufacturing process. That water is incredibly gentle on the fibers, allowing the natural softness of the cotton to really shine through.
You might have noticed that some towels come with this little tag attached. That’s the Imabari seal, it certifies not only that the towel was made in Imabari, but also that it passed the region’s strict inspection process. In other words, it meets all of Imabari’s regulations and quality standards.
THE PURPOSE AND INSPIRATION BEHIND THIS TOWEL
Coming back to my love for towels, I always keep a larger one next to my vanity because after applying my skincare, my hands are covered in oils and residue, and everything I touch ends up slippery or smudged. If I need to open a pencil, sharpen it, or twist open a pot, it becomes annoying because I have no grip, I waste time, and I leave marks everywhere. So after finishing my skincare, I grab a towel and wipe my hands.
But there’s another reason I always keep a larger towel beside me: when I’m doing my makeup, and especially when I’m in a rush, something inevitably ends up spilling on my clothes. Face mask residue, foundation, concealer, lip gloss, bits of pencil or shadow… even when I’m careful, there’s always a chance something will land right on my lap. And then I’m stuck changing at the very last minute. Any towel could technically serve this purpose, it’s a simple need, after all. But the reason I wanted to work with Imabari for this towel is because I wanted something truly made in Japan, something that reminds me of Japan every time I look at it, and something where I know exactly who crafted it.
It’s a protective towel, I was inspired by the traditional Japanese apron called a maekake, so this lap towel is called a hizakake. Hiza means knee, and kake means cover. It’s thicker than a regular towel, almost like a soft, mini blanket.
Maekake aprons are traditionally dark navy with white illustrations or logos, often paired with a white and orange belt. I loved the idea of reusing those same colours for this Hiza‑kake, especially since this towel also serves a protective purpose.
This is the maekake that we use at home. It has convenient pockets for utensils, and it’s made from a thick, sturdy cotton canvas.
This is a newer maekake that I purchased last year in a little shop when we were staying near Mount Fuji. The cotton canvas is thinner but still sturdy and stiff.
This towel can be used for several purposes, but it’s not the kind of towel that you would use to wipe your brushes between uses, the flat and thick weave would not be ideal for that purpose. For wiping brushes between uses, it’s better to use microfiber materials, and they will also withstand more regular washes. We had microfiber towels in our collection in the past, hopefully they will return this year.
This towel is always on my lap, it protects my clothes when I apply my make-up, and I also use it to wipe my hands when needed.
You could use a maekake for the same purpose, but the idea with this towel is that we can use it to wipe our hands too because it is not a hard canvas, hence, it will also drape nicely over our legs.
I think that for this purpose, it’s important to use something quick and easy, that has enough grip and that we don’t need to attach.
I know that some love to use a towel to protect the table or surface, or to protect the items, and this is a long towel so it can accomodate quite a few things.
DESIGN AND TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
The towel showcases two cranes flying above the sea towards the sunset.
As you may have guessed, my fascination with cranes isn’t exactly new…
This towel is approximately 77cm x 32 cm and is 100% cotton, it weights approximately 119 g.
The colors are dark blue, orange and white, with red used for the logo.
The thickness was essential for the protective role it plays, it has a richer, thicker feel than a regular towel. While maekakes (Japanese aprons) are usually made with thick and stiffer cotton canvas to protect also from injury and heat, this towel drapes easily over your lap and it stays perfectly in place.
The illustration or logos on a maekake apron are usually printed on the canvas. For this towel the illustration is woven using a flat‑weave technique that allows us to create a pattern using two colours concurrently: the back reveals the same pattern, but with the colours reversed.
CARE AND WASHING INSTRUCTIONS
The towel can be washed at 30°C. It will naturally shrink a little after the first wash, which is expected with this type of weave.
Because of the strong contrast between the white and deep navy, it’s normal for the white sections to change a little as you can see in the images below.
This is a thick towel with a partially loose weave interspaced with tighter weave, so needs to be gently reshaped after the wash. The manufacturer doesn’t recommend tumble drying (and so we won’t either), but we’ve tested using a European spec condensing tumble drier and we were unable to distinguish the tumble-dried one from the air-dried one. As they say “your mileage may vary”.
THE IMABARI CERTIFICATION
This Imabari certification is obtained only after the towel’s prototype has been fully developed and submitted for review. Although the certification process involves a cost, investing in it was essential. It ensures that our towel meets Imabari’s rigorous quality standards and allows us to support and honour the craftsmanship of the Ehime region.
AVAILABILITY AND PRICE
This Sunset Cranes Hizakake will be available starting on March 3rd, 2026 at 10am PT on Beautylish, it will retail for 36 USD.
It isn’t a Limited Edition piece, so, if there’s interest, we should be able to bring it back reasonably quickly into stock in the future.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. I hope it helped you discover a different side of Japanese craftsmanship expressed through pieces that just like Fude, we can also enjoy and use in our everyday lives. And of course, if you love Japan, I’m sure Imabari is already a familiar name to you.
