Invented in Osaka during the Meiji era (1868–1912), chusen is a hand-dyeing technique often used to colour tenugui handkerchiefs and yukata robes. In chusen, dye is poured over multiple layers of fabric, allowing the artisan to dye up to 40 tenugui at once – far more productive than the traditional method of dyeing only one cloth at a time, but still a craft requiring years of practice to get right.
A chusen specialist, the Nijiyura tenugui shop near Tanimachi 6-chome metro station stocks a remarkable variety of cute hankies and towels that make for fun souvenirs, with their Osaka-themed collection especially popular. We love the food patterns – takoyaki towel, anyone? – and the public transportation motifs, which include a line-up of tenugui representing specific Osaka train lines.
If you have the time, take a break at the in-store café, where you can also peruse tenugui decorated with coffee imagery. Note that the shop closes irregularly, so we recommend checking their Instagram before heading over.