Towel Museum Ichihiro, Art museum in Imabari, Japan
The Towel Museum Ichihiro is an art museum in Imabari devoted to the making and design of towels. The building holds several exhibition spaces that present weaving methods and finished textile works side by side.
Imabari grew into Japan's main towel-producing area over the course of the 20th century, helped by soft local water and generations of weaving knowledge. The museum was opened to mark that history and give it a permanent home.
Towels hold an important place in Japanese daily life, and the museum shows how they fit into various aspects of everyday routines. The displays reveal the role these textiles play in how people live and interact with their surroundings.
The museum is in Imabari and is most easily reached by public transport or taxi from the city center. Since there are several floors to walk through, comfortable shoes make the visit easier.
The museum holds one of the world's largest collections of towels made specifically as display objects, never intended for everyday use. Some of these were designed by artists who normally work in other media entirely.
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