Noren - Traditional Japanese Fabric Curtains

Noren is a piece of fabric hung at entrances everywhere in Japan. I love it, it is uniquely Japanese and sadly forgotten by many modern shops. Noren gives an elegant and traditional touch. Since I am so fond of it and was looking forward to seeing them, once in Japan I took thousands on noren photos.

Noren is written 暖簾, and the two kanji mean "warm" and "bamboo screen" respectively.

I think of noren as a welcome sign placed in doorways. And on the first one it is written, from right to left and up to down, douzo ohairi kudasai - please come in.

Sometimes on the noren it is written what you will find inside that shop or restaurant - like, from right to left, うどん udon, yummy Japanese noodles.

Maybe (o)nigiri, the rice balls? And many noren are in aizome - the famous Japanese blue, or indigo.

Maneki-neki, the welcoming/lucky cat, and in Japanese tradition seeing a tiger 虎 tora in your dream means that a new power is coming your way:

The statue of a Japanese raccoon dog, called tanuki, having its important role in the Japanese folklore:

Tanuki representations appear so often everywhere in Japan.

心 shin/kokoro means heart, mind.

Hana no ren may be water lily, 睡蓮 suiren. 花 hana means flower.