THE ORIGINS OF OSHIBORI

Oshibori (おしぼり or お絞り or 御絞り) is a small hot towel that is presented to patrons in a restaurant or bar in Japan to wipe their hands. It is also found during important meals.

It was during the Edo period, Edo jidai 江戸時代, that the word oshibori was first used. It was then a piece of cloth soaked in a bucket of water that was offered to travelers to recover from the fatigue of the journey. As he twisted it (from the verb shiboru 絞る in Japanese) to wring it out, the expression oshibori has stuck. https://lesitedujapon.com/oshibori/

Did you know that? We find traces of oshibori in Japanese texts from the 11th century! In particular in the famous 'Genji Monogatari', a great classic of Japanese literature.

The word oshibori comes from the Japanese word shiboru which means "to wring out", with the honorific prefix o-

Nowadays, oshiboris of all types are found all over the world, in restaurants, hotels, spas, sports centers, etc. They are offered to welcome and wash the body. They are offered to welcome and wash hands while providing a sense of well-being.

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