Sep 7, 2014 - 1 min read

Noren - Beautiful Japanese Curtains

Traditional Japanese Beauty - 1

By Larry Knipfing

Community writer

This restaurant's noren features the design of a gourd

Inside looking out at a restaurant in Kita Kamakura

Entrance to a beautiful little shop in the Arashiyama section of Kyoto

Notice the fine detail and quality of the fabric

Inside looking out at a traditional bath inside a Japanese inn

The green adds a nice touch

Total simplicity - a trademark of Japanese traditional beauty - Kyoto

A noren in traditional Japanese blue tied up to let customers pass into the shop more easily

How cute is this?! The noren of a yakitori (grilled chicken) restaurant in Kyoto

Close up on the chicken - the fabric is thick and heavy

Noren at the entrance to a tofu restaurant

Restaurant in Kibune, Kyoto

Same restaruant, different entrance

Japanese noren (暖簾) curtains are used in a number of ways: At the entrance to shops and restaurants, public baths and onsen, and as room dividers. Most noren you see are machine-made and tacky, but some are so beautiful they will take your breath away. Just do an image search on Google or Pinterest and you'll see what I mean! You will most likely find the nicer ones in more traditional towns and cities like Kyoto or Kamakura. Keep your eyes open and your camera handy as you walk around Japan. See if you can find some really nice ones and start a collection of noren photos. Noren make great souvenirs, too!

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Larry Knipfing

By Larry Knipfing

Community writer

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Trifina Leang

Trifina Leang 10 years ago

I didn't know the kanji for Noren and now I know, Thanks Larry! They are very special indeed!

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Cathy Cawood

Cathy Cawood 11 years ago

Nice collection of noren photos, Larry!

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Nicole Bauer

Nicole Bauer 11 years ago

Wonferful! I love noren, it is so Japanese and you are right, there are so many individual and beautiful designs. Thanks for this collection!

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