Quick List - Top Japanese Bath Towels
The Best in Every Way: Absorbent, Soft, and Budget-Friendly
If You’re Looking to Pamper Yourself: Like Wrapping Yourself in a Marshmallow
The Most Practical of Them All: Sucks up a Lot of Water in Very Little Time
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However, there are various types of cotton and they’re not all made equal. If you want them soft and fluffy, find out what kind of cotton was used, how long the fibers are (that is, whether they’re short or long staple, long staple being the softer and better choice), or at least where it was manufactured.
The following are cottons prized for their texture and quality.
High-Quality Cottons
However–and you wouldn’t be able to tell by just looking at the cloth–each individual fiber is extremely sharp. If you were to scrub to hard with it, you’d damage your skin in the long run. You don’t want to use it if you’re sensitive and prone to irritation. Microfiber towels are also not very durable because the fine threads trap and retain bacteria.
※1 マイクロファイバー: microfiber
※2 ループパイル: loop pile
※3 シャーリング: shearing
※4 無撚糸: zero twist
Gauze is thin and breathable, but the weave is loose and can feel rough. Waffle towels also have no terry loops; instead, they feature bumps and grooves that facilitate airflow, which helps the fabric dry off quickly.
※5 ガーゼ: gauze
※6 ワッフル: waffle
Just FYI: hotel style towels may sound like they’d be plush, feel luxurious, and cost a fortune, but this isn’t necessarily the case. For a towel to be designated hotel style, it just needs to be substantial enough to withstand numerous washings without fraying or fading in color.
Not all brands use monme, however. If that’s the case, see if you can determine the towel’s weight in ounces. Usually, 8.8 – 14.1 ounces equates to 800 – 1200 匁.
Generally speaking, the thicker the towel, the more absorbent it’ll be (though, as we discussed earlier, absorbency is also swayed by cotton type and weave). Thicker towels also tend to be sturdier and more durable.
Of course, this formula can be tweaked by changing up the cottons used or switching out one kind of manufacturing process for another. But it’s best to figure out your priorities. If all you’re planning to do is towel yourself off after a shower, for example, you probably aren’t going to need something to guzzles water and can afford a bit of pampering.
If you need something more compact for the kids or overnight bags, then something between 19.7 x 39.4 inches (50 x 100 cm) and 23.6 x 47.2 inches (60 x 120 cm) will do. If you’re looking for something more like a beach towel, then you want a larger towel around 31.5 x 59.1 inches (80 x 150 cm).
It might also be worth taking the size of your washing machine into account, especially if you don’t like having multiple loads. Regular capacities (12-16 lbs) may call for compact towels, whereas larger capacity machines (20 lbs and above) can handle any towel you throw at it.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Nitori Zero Twist Bath Towel (Bacteria and Odor Resistant) | ![]() | The Best in Every Way: Absorbent, Soft, and Budget-Friendly | |
2 | UCHINO Bath Towel (Gokufuwa) | ![]() | If You’re Looking to Pamper Yourself: Like Wrapping Yourself in a Marshmallow | |
3 | HACOON Imabari Towel | ![]() | The Most Soothing of Them All: Fluff that Skates over Skin | |
4 | AEON STYLE HOME COORDY Soft Bath Towel | ![]() | The Most Practical of Them All: Sucks up a Lot of Water in Very Little Time | |
5 | 7-11 Super Soft Hotel Bath Towels | ![]() | The Best Towel to Use in a Pinch: Super Absorbent and Available in Convenience Stores All Across Japan | |
6 | Nitori Bath Towel (Fukkura) | ![]() | Worth Buying: If You Like Your Towels Thick, Fluffy, and Cheap | |
7 | Broome Imabari Bath Towel (Leon) | ![]() | Worth Buying: If You Need to Suck up Massive Amounts of Water All at Once | |
8 | Sodateru Towel Feel | ![]() | Worth Buying: Plush as Foam and Well-Designed. The Ultimate Gift | |
9 | Hotman One-Second Towel (Colored Bath Towel) | ![]() | Worth Buying: Light Towel that Can Drink a Lot of Water | |
10 | Broome Imabari Bath Towel (Natural Border) | ![]() | Worth Buying: Dense to the Point of Stiffness. Absorbent |
How to Keep Your Towels Soft and Fluffy
We don’t recommend using softener. That’ll leave residue on the fibers of your towel, making them less absorbent.
No. 1: |Nitori Zero Twist Bath Towel (Bacteria and Odor Resistant)
No. 2: |UCHINO Bath Towel (Gokufuwa)
No. 3: |HACOON Imabari Towel
No. 4: |AEON STYLE HOME COORDY Soft Bath Towel
No. 5: |7-11 Super Soft Hotel Bath Towels
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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