A few too many Tenugui

[Cailin Coilleac]

Much obliged!

[baysun]

I have around 80 to 100... Most were given to me though I bought a few.

I am happy to hear that many people are collecting them...

I have a friend who has a few on his living room wall, beautifully framed.

The most special one I have was given to me by a Kendo teacher... It is said
to protect one from evil. Originally, one was given to him by a buddhist monk in Kyoto
or Osaka long ago...

Strangely, not even Japanese can read the the Kanji ( characters).

[Sakabato]

I have around 80 to 100... Most were given to me though I bought a few.

I am happy to hear that many people are collecting them...

I have a friend who has a few on his living room wall, beautifully framed.

The most special one I have was given to me by a Kendo teacher... It is said
to protect one from evil. Originally, one was given to him by a buddhist monk in Kyoto
or Osaka long ago...

Strangely, not even Japanese can read the the Kanji ( characters).

Talking about Buddhist today I went to visit a temple in the local japanese plaza; Japanese Buddhist temple. I walked up to the main door and looked at the dates it was opened / closed. Then an old man, not dressed in buddihst clothes, peeked out from a door far off to the left and waved me off. Like when you wave someone who has pissed you off or just want to well wave off! i was puzzled and tried to wave him over. Then he just crossed his arms in an x and touched them to his forehead. So I up and left.

What exactly does the X gesture mean? And why wave me off like i'm sort of a dog or unwanted pest . Can't he at least come over and talk? Then i went over to visit a japanese shop where I bought some sweet bean buns, but I was not allowed to dine in / use their restroom. That inside it was a dining restaurant and I wasn't allowed inside. My guess is because I was not ordering a big plate of food... but... I still ordered a few sweet bean buns. I asked why and he just said that it was a dine in restaurant inside. No other real explanation and his english was flawless. Can't give additional details? What gives ? It just felt like a bad experience. I also noticed at another shop in the plaza that had a sign outside that said 'Only customers who will order more than $15 per person (Not including drinks) are allowed inside". I dunno the atmosphere I saw today was pretty unwelcoming.

On the other hand... does anyone collect these? if so... how many do you have?

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/503/picture222b.jpg

The greatest joy for a man is to defeat his enemies, to drive them before him, to take from them all they possess, to see those they love in tears, to ride their horses, and to hold their wives and daughters in his arms.

[dillon]

In Japanese culture crossing the arms in an X (typically crossing at the wrist) means "dame-desu". This can mean: no, doesn't work, closed, prohibited, don't come in, no photos, broken, etc. (you get the picture).

Also typically, it's sufficient to just give the gesture without further explanation. If it's an old geezer waving you off, maybe his English skills are not such that he felt capable of giving a verbal explanation.

Bringing open food or open drinks into a temple or shrine would be considered inappropriate. Often, the food and drinks are prohibited from the torii-mon marking the entrance to the grounds. One wouldn't do the same in a church either and expect not to be politely declined entry.

[rainmaker]

wink wink !!!!

I plan to take many of mine and pass them out someday to people that will care about getting them.

[rainmaker]

Collecting tenugui is like a heroin addiction... it just never ends... I probably has about 30.... I used have more but I gave it away to newbies and son...

[MiddleEarthNet]

My most special tenugui is in a frame on my wall. It was personally signed by 6 Japanese 7th Dan Sensei, one of which has now passed his hachidan. The actually tenugui is pretty standard - white background, black kanji. I do have a translation for the text.

I don't like training in white and black combinations ones - everyone over here uses them. I like something that is traditional but with a bit of colour.

[Sakabato]

Bringing open food or open drinks into a temple or shrine would be considered inappropriate. Often, the food and drinks are prohibited from the torii-mon marking the entrance to the grounds. One wouldn't do the same in a church either and expect not to be politely declined entry.

Good thing I ate the food i bought on a bench before going to the temple. how considerate ! And I think you give the old geezer too much credit. He was just a hound sent from hell!!!!!