The Imabari Towel Minami-Aoyama store in Tokyo is hosting its 22nd Imabari Towel Maker Pop-Up, this time spotlighting Kontex Co., Ltd., a towel manufacturer based in Imabari, Ehime, that has been crafting towels since 1934. The event runs from April 16 (Thursday) to April 27 (Monday), 2026.
Exhibition Concept: "A Moment of Life with Towels"
The pop-up is centered on a question that Kontex always asks when developing its products: "When, where, and who is using this towel?" The store display uses warm illustrations and arrangements to bring those everyday scenarios to life, letting shoppers intuitively find the towel that feels just right — for themselves or someone they care about.
Selecting by "use scene"
Each towel is paired with illustrations of the specific moment it shines — in the kitchen, the bathroom, or out and about — making it easy to picture how it fits into everyday life.
Products born from real life
Items on display include a hooded bath towel created with the wish to bring "a little extra ease to parenting," and a stretchy pillowcase designed from firsthand experience. These are products with real stories behind them.
Featured Products
KIYORA (Antibacterial Odor-Resistant Towel)
This standout series reached 3,400% of its funding goal on the crowdfunding platform Makuake. The concept behind KIYORA is a towel that continuously reduces bacteria on its own, combining powerful antibacterial and deodorizing performance with generous volume and a pleasant feel. Two types are available: KIYORA Premium, designed to be especially resistant to damp-drying odors, and KIYORA Skincare, which minimizes friction against skin.
Mon Fukin (Waffle-Woven Dish Towels, 21 Designs)
These dish towels, which received an enthusiastic response at a recent trade fair, showcase Imabari's distinctive jacquard weaving technique across 21 decorative patterns rendered in waffle weave. Beyond the designs, the priority was a towel that "absorbs well from the very first day" — and visitors are welcome to feel the absorbency and satisfying texture for themselves.
Everyday Essentials
A broad selection of long-selling Kontex favorites will also be on display, including the hooded bath towel designed with parenting convenience in mind and the easy-on, easy-off stretchy pillowcase — all representing the brand's pursuit of the "just right" for someone, somewhere.
Gift Campaign: "Towel Gacha" Surprise Draw
For the duration of the event, customers who purchase 5,000 yen (tax excluded) or more of Kontex products can try the brand's first-ever "Towel Gacha" — a lucky dip for a surprise gift.
The prizes are high-quality towels that narrowly missed Kontex's strict quality inspection standards, but remain fully functional and perfectly usable. The idea behind the campaign is to give these carefully woven products a second chance at finding a good home, and to offer shoppers the fun of discovering a product they might not have picked up on their own.
The campaign is limited to the first 200 customers, and ends when prizes run out.
Venue: Imabari Towel Minami-Aoyama Store
Address: FROM-1st 2F #203, 5-3-10 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-6427-2941
Hours: 10:30 AM to 7:00 PM
Regular closed day: Second Tuesday of every month
Additional closures: Second Sunday in August / Third Sunday in February / Year-end and New Year holidays
(Temporary closures may occur — check the official website for updates)
Access: Exit A5 of Omotesando Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza, Chiyoda, and Hanzomon lines), then a 5-minute walk to the right.
