How do you say "wet hand towel" in Japanese?

Name: Japan Hands You a Hot Towel — Don't Use It Wrong
Uploaded: 2026-06-16T14:17:55Z
Duration: 34 s
Description: Learn to say おしぼり (oshibori) — wet hand towel. A 30-second Japanese lesson for travelers from Kōfuku.

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Japan Hands You a Hot Towel — Don't Use It Wrong

To say wet hand towel in Japanese, say おしぼり (oshibori).

Sit down at a restaurant in Japan and you get a hot rolled towel — but it's NOT for your face.

おしぼり oshibori wet hand towel

Beginner Cultural Wedge #learnjapanese #japantravel #japanesefood #japaneticette #traveltips

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In this video

お店で出てくる温かいおしぼり。顔は拭かないで！ Omise de detekuru atatakai oshibori. Kao wa fukanaide! Sit down at a restaurant in Japan and you get a hot rolled towel. Don't wipe your face with it.
これは「おしぼり」。手を拭くものだよ。 Kore wa 'oshibori'. Te o fuku mono da yo. This is an oshibori — it's for wiping your hands.
顔やテーブルを拭くのは、ちょっとマナー違反。 Kao ya tēburu o fuku no wa, chotto manā ihan. Wiping your face or the table is a bit of a faux pas — locals just do their hands.
夏は冷たいおしぼり、最高だよ。 Natsu wa tsumetai oshibori, saikō da yo. In summer, the cold version is the best.
無料で、手専用のおしぼり。保存してね。 Muryō de, te sen'yō no oshibori. Hozon shite ne. Free, hot or cold, and just for your hands 🤲 Save this 👇

Why this phrase

The oshibori arrives at almost every sit-down meal; tourists wipe their faces or the table (a faux pas — it's for hands). Cultural-wedge surprise plus a useful word. Cold version is a summer joy.