Towels

thumb|right|Colored bath towels A towel is a piece of absorbent cloth, or paper, used for drying or wiping a surface. Towels draw moisture through direct contact.

holiday celebrating the works of Douglas Adams

absorbent towel made from paper

thumb|Oshibori presented on a small bamboo stand An oshibori ( or ), or hot towel in English, is a wet hand towel offered to customers in places such as restaurants or bars, and used to clean one's hands before eating. Oshibori have long been part of hospitality culture in Japan: in the Tale of Genji era, it was used for visitors; during the Edo period it was used in hatago; later, it started to be used in many restaurants. It eventually spread to worldwide use. Cold oshibori are used in summer, and hot oshibori in winter. In Japan, October 29 has been observed as the day of oshibori since 200