The Imabari Towel Minami-Aoyama store in Tokyo is hosting its 24th Imabari Towel Maker Pop-Up, this time spotlighting WATANABE PILE, a towel manufacturer based in Imabari, Ehime, that has been weaving towels since 1963. The event runs from July 16 (Thursday) to July 27 (Monday), 2026.
24th Imabari Towel Maker Pop-Up: WATANABE PILE "My Special Gift"
The craftsmanship passed down from WATANABE PILE's founding generation — the wish to "create towels the world has never seen" — still lives on in every step of the towel-making process today. Beyond weaving alone, the team travels to cotton-growing regions and works closely with spinning artisans to bring out the very best in each material, continually exploring new possibilities for what a towel can be. For this pop-up, the new collection centers on the theme of "gifts," featuring mini handkerchiefs created in collaboration with illustrator/artist norahi and textile artist YU MEI HUANG. Each piece is a palm-sized, wearable work of art. Visitors are invited to spend a moment choosing a gift — whether for themselves or someone they hold dear — at the Imabari Towel Minami-Aoyama store.
Pop-Up Period: July 16 (Thursday) to July 27 (Monday), 2026
Example Products
tinymame new collection "sing"
Inspired by the moment of waking to the chirping of small birds — as if they were singing a song, their calls arranged like musical notes.
Types: hooded towel, vest, basic bib, round bib, wash towel, belt cover
Instagram Gift Campaign
Customers who follow both the towel brand's and the baby/kids brand's official Instagram accounts will receive a mini handkerchief from the long-selling Howahowa San Joaquin series as a gift.
Instagram — Towel brand: @watanabe_pile_factory | Baby/Kids brand: @tinymame_organic
Featured Products
SHUTTLE 1963
A towel series woven on a shuttle loom that has been running continuously since the company's founding in 1963, taking its time under the care of skilled artisans. Its densely arranged pile gives each towel a one-of-a-kind texture.
Types: bath towel, face towel, wash towel, bath mat
Shikkari Samarkand
A long-selling favorite adopted by multiple hotels and one of WATANABE PILE's signature series. Only the best part of long, thick, fully ripened cotton fiber is harvested and twisted into yarn, achieving a soft yet substantial feel that keeps its fluffiness through repeated washes, making it easy to care for every day.
Types: bath towel, face towel, wash towel
GOOD DAY
A collaboration series with illustrator/artist norahi. Made from the same long, thick, fully ripened cotton fiber, offering a soft yet substantial texture.
Types: bath towel, face towel, mini handkerchief
Other popular series from the brand's lineup will also be available.
Staff Comment
During the pop-up, visitors can browse a wide-ranging lineup of towels designed to fit comfortably into everyday life. WATANABE PILE hopes shoppers will follow their own instincts and enjoy the different textures and feels of each series, and that the visit will help them discover "the one towel that makes today a little softer." Everyone is welcome to stop by the Imabari Towel Minami-Aoyama store.
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.
