The Origin of Oshibori

Oshibori (おしぼり or お絞り or 御絞り) is a small hot towel that is presented to customers of a restaurant or bar in Japan to dry 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. By twisting it (from the verb shiboru 絞る in Japanese) to wring it out, the expression oshibori remained. https://lesitedujapon.com/oshibori/

Did you know? Traces of oshibori can be found in Japanese texts from the 11th century! Notably in the famous "Genji Monogatari" , a great classic of Japanese literature.

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

Nowadays, oshiboris of all types can be 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 the hands while providing a feeling of well-being.

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