The makers, artists and craftspeople behind Baba Shoten.
Every piece we create begins with a story. From traditional dye houses to contemporary ukiyo-e artists, we collaborate with people who share our passion for Japanese craftsmanship, culture and creativity.
Our tenugui are produced by Rienzome (Todaya Shoten), a historic Japanese textile maker founded in Tokyo over 150 years ago. They specialise in traditional chusen dyeing, a labour-intensive process where dye is poured by hand through layered fabric to create patterns that are coloured all the way through rather than simply printed on the surface.
The result is a tenugui that becomes softer with age, dries quickly and carries on a craft that has been passed down through generations of Japanese makers.
Kow San
Contemporary Ukiyo-e Artist
Born in Osaka, Kow is a contemporary ukiyo-e artist, illustrator and graphic designer whose work combines traditional Japanese influences with modern visual culture. Drawing inspiration from classic ukiyo-e masters alongside manga, animation and street culture, he creates bold interpretations of Japanese heritage for a new generation.
Kow designed the artwork used on our original Baba Shoten Tenugui.
The piece was created to capture the spirit of the ramen kitchen:
His work helped transform a simple kitchen towel into a piece of visual storytelling.
Artist Behind The Shisamu Collection
Iwase Shisamu is the artist behind the original "Itadakimasu" artwork featured on our hoodies and apparel.
His illustration combines traditional Japanese visual language with themes that resonate deeply with ramen culture:
The artwork has become one of the defining visual identities of Baba Shoten and represents the values we try to share through both our cooking classes and our products.
Take a look behind the scenes of our latest product launch.
