A Pilgrim's Cotton Accessory: Red Temple Stamps

early to mid twentieth century
38" x 13", 96.5 cm x 33 cm

This is a tenugui-sized pilgrim's cotton accessory, something which would have been carried by a pilgrim while traveling a prescribed route of Buddhist temples as he traveled, perhaps on foot, visiting each one.

As can be seen the cloth bears many stamps received at various temples, some of them able to read and let us know they were from Yoshino Zaodo, Ominesan Kizoin, Nigatsudo and Tamukeyama Hachimangu, among others, each of which are located in the Western part of Japan, around Nara.

Half the towel is shows a good deal of staining from its use on the road while the other half is fairly free of stains.