Why Do Japanese People Carry Hand Towels Everywhere?

A matter of hygiene (and public restrooms, honestly)

If you’ve ever been to Japan—even for a short trip—you’ve probably noticed this: lots of people, from school kids to business folks, carry a small hand towel in their bag or pocket. It’s not a random fashion choice. It’s actually super practical.

Why? Well, let’s be blunt. Many public bathrooms in Japan don’t have paper towels or hand dryers. Not all of them, of course—major city stations or malls usually do. But plenty don’t. You wash your hands, then what? You can’t just walk out shaking your hands like a golden retriever.

So Japanese people come prepared. A small “tenugui” or mini towel does the trick. Clean, quick, reliable. And yeah, way more eco-friendly too.

The cultural side of being “clean”

Cleanliness isn’t just about hygiene in Japan—it’s almost moral. There's this old idea of “kirei” that blends physical cleanliness with a sense of order and purity. Think about how people clean their desk area before leaving work or how students scrub their classrooms. Carrying a hand towel is kind of in line with that mindset.

It’s not about being obsessive. It’s more like... considerate. You don’t drip water everywhere, and you’re not depending on anyone else’s infrastructure to stay tidy.

Personal style meets practicality

Hand towels aren’t boring, either. That’s the cool part.

Walk into a ¥100 shop like Daiso, or even better, a department store like Tokyu Hands, and you’ll see racks of them—cute, stylish, traditional, weird. Hello Kitty? Yep. Classic indigo waves? Also yes. One shaped like a slice of toast? That too.

Some folks (not even kidding) match them to their outfits. Especially school kids—they’ll often have towels with their favorite anime character or mascot. It becomes a tiny form of self-expression, tucked in a blazer or attached to a backpack.

Wait, isn't that kinda old-school?

Yeah, that’s a fair point. You might think: in this day and age of fast tech and touchless everything, why are people still carrying little towels like it’s 1955?

But here’s the thing. Japan’s a bit of a paradox when it comes to tech and tradition. Hypermodern vending machines? Yes. Cash-only restaurants? Also yes.

So the towel isn’t outdated—it’s more like a “why fix what works?” situation. Plus, it’s reusable, low-waste, and—well—just feels right.

Generational shift?

Okay, maybe young people are shifting a bit. You’ll see more teens just air-drying or using their clothes (yeah, not ideal). But the towel still holds strong. Even among the cool crowd. It’s discreet, cheap, and doesn’t take space. And if you’ve ever wiped your sweaty face with a soft cotton towel on a Tokyo summer day, you get it.

Beyond bathrooms: towels for all seasons

Hand towels aren’t just for drying hands.

In the sticky summers, people dab their necks or foreheads. On rainy days, it can mop up your bag or shoes. And in winter? It’s even handy for wiping glasses fogged up by your face mask.

An anecdote that stuck

I remember being in Kyoto in August (hot as hell, by the way), and I’d forgotten to bring my towel. Everyone around me was calmly wiping their necks and faces while I was basically melting. An older lady at a bus stop saw me, chuckled, and handed me hers—"Nihon no himitsu da yo" she said. (“It’s Japan’s little secret.”)

She wasn’t wrong.

So... why do they carry them?

Because it makes sense. Because it’s clean. Because it’s polite. Because it's kinda stylish. Because it's habit. Because—why not?

It’s one of those tiny, humble things that doesn’t seem like a big deal until you realize... wow, this actually improves daily life. And once you start doing it? Yeah, you kinda never go back.

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