The term bindle descends from the German Yiddish term ‘bündel’, meaning something wrapped in a blanket and bound by cord for carrying. The Japanese term ‘furoshiki’ translates into modern English as ‘bath spread’, a square piece of cloth used at the sento (public baths) to carry a change of clothes and bathing accessories. This custom spread – soon a book seller would wrap books in cloth, or a textile dealer would wrap clothes, and they could go out for their business.