Japanese culture is always fascinating. I took this photo as it seems to express visually some aspects of the character of Japanese people. I like the Japanese sense of beauty expressed in orderliness. Everything in Japan seems to have its order. The word "beauty" in Japanese (kirei) is exactly the same as the word "clean". Beauty and cleanliness are so strongly linked in Japanese thinking. These towels are instantly recognised by all Japanese as hot-spring towels.
One final point: it was a beautiful, calm day - so why bother with the clips? I suspect that the "why bother" mentality is much less common in Japan. If it was windy, the towels might blow off. Rather than chop and change, Japanese prefer orderly procedures, and orderly thinking - it's less risky, more secure.
Location: Latitude=33.07636185335586, Longitude=131.1441920380253, Google maps