The Zen of Towels

Just as I promised, I'm going to talk about towels today.

If there is one thing I'v learned about Japanese culture in the 8 year I've been here is that Japanese people really like towels. Especially old people. It came to my attention after our son was born. Just like in the US, a lot of people gave us gifts. But here there's a catch... You have to give something back, generally something around half the cost of the gift they gave you.

So anyway, after we got the first batch of presents my wife says,
" We have to get them towels!"
"Why towels?" I ask.
"You gotta give them towels! My god man its a TOWEL for Christ's sake! Old people love towels! "

Something like that anyway. And apparently they do. Its not just that reverse baby gift either. About twice a year companies send each other and their customers towels. Towels are exchanged in new years and again in the summer, and well basically every time someone gives you something.

But with all these towels being exchanged, what do people do with them? Are they just being recycled? Its a mystery even in our house. Towels we get I never see again, and new towels seem to appear from nowhere.

And somewhat unrelated, I can never seem to use the towels we have correctly. Every time I try to use a towel, I'm told its the wrong one.
(something is spilled) "Thats the hand-washing-towel!"
or "That's the hand-drying-towel!"
or "You can't use that its the chair-which-has-been-dowsed-in- honey towel!"
or "That's the evil-clown-towel!"
And so forth.