Bean tie-dye dots

豆絞り mameshibori

Small, evenly spaced tie-dyed dots. Mame also means healthy and hard-working, so it wishes for good health; the classic tenugui pattern.

Edo period

Small evenly spaced dots resist-dyed on cotton, mameshibori was the most popular tenugui pattern of the Edo period, when cotton tenugui spread to townspeople as head wraps, sweatbands and souvenirs. Despite the name, most were stencil- or board-clamp dyed rather than truly tied. The pun on mame (bean / healthy, diligent) made it a wish for good health.

The classic hachimaki and festival tenugui, often in indigo or red on white.