Introductory Guide: Japanese Tea Sets
Japanese tea culture is rich and centuries old, centered on the preparation and consumption of green tea, particularly matcha.
Tea was also used as medicine in ancient Japan. The tea ceremony was a specialty of Buddhist monks and a social activity for the nobility. Today, tea culture is accessible to all.
If you are curious about Japanese tea sets, here are more details of each tool.
Japanese Tea Set For Matcha
Compared to other green teas, matcha green tea powder may require a few more tools, including a matcha tea set, matcha whisk, matcha bowl, and chashaku.
Although this equipment, such as the matcha bowl and whisk, may initially seem daunting, once you get used to it, making a bowl of matcha tea at home will become simple. With these tools, you can perform the Japanese tea ceremony yourself. Let's quickly look at the equipment you want to purchase for your matcha tea set.
Matcha Whisk
Perhaps the most crucial and difficult-to-replace item in the matcha tea set is the bamboo matcha whisk. Because it's used in the Japanese tea ceremony, you might be familiar with this.
The perfect matcha-making tool, this matcha whisk is crafted from a single piece of bamboo and meticulously carved. After using this for even a few matcha tea sessions, you will notice a significant improvement in the taste and texture of your matcha tea. maintain this matcha whisk; simply soak it for a few seconds before using it and rinse it when finished. It will stay clean and not break as a result.
Matcha Bowl
Another essential piece of equipment for your matcha tea sets is the matcha bowl.
If you ever attend a Japanese tea ceremony, you will also witness this. Despite having a simple appearance, this bowl has several important design elements that make matcha tea simpler. To whisk the matcha tea in quick zigzag motions without spilling, the bowl is usually more cylindrical and has steeper sides. Thick, heavy clay is also used to make the matcha bowl, also known as the chawan.
This has a utilitarian function and helps communicate a sense of importance. As long as it is preheated before making the matcha tea, the clay matcha bowl will retain a lot of heat and keep the beverage warm for a long time. On a chilly day, it can even warm your hands.
Chashaku
The matcha powder is scooped using this bamboo spoon. Although it's not required, this tool can be a good addition to matcha tea sets and is included for free in many matcha tea bundles, so getting one should be simple. It might be a little more difficult to scoop the matcha powder with a regular spoon if you don't have this bamboo matcha spoon. Because of its more vertical shape, the chashaku is advantageous for scooping out deeper containers, such as matcha tins.
In the Japanese tea ceremony, the tea master will simply use two large scoops of the chashaku for each bowl of matcha, which equates to about two grams of matcha green tea powder. It also functions surprisingly well as a measuring tool.
Matcha Sifter
Although it is an optional addition to the matcha set, this one can significantly alter the flavor and consistency of your matcha tea. Due to its extremely fine grinding, matcha green tea powder starts to clump when it comes into contact with the humidity in the air.
It might not seem like much, but the matcha powder clumps do not dissolve well in the water. Simply putting the matcha green tea powder through a sifter beforehand is the best solution. By doing this, a lovely foam will be produced and the matcha powder will mix into the water evenly.
Japanese Tea Set For Loose Tea Leaves
There are significantly fewer tools needed to prepare loose-leaf tea including sencha. In the beginning, matcha tea was the most widely consumed variety in Japan.
Eventually, sencha surpassed matcha, partly because it was more convenient. To make a translucent infusion, the leaves are merely brewed in water and filtered out. While this tea is easy to make, there are a few things you might want to get to make the brewing process better in the future.
"Kyusu" Japanese Tea Pot
Kyusu is the Japanese term for a teapot. It is the simplest tool for making Sencha green tea and other kinds of tea.
In addition to being useful, Japanese kyusu are also intricately designed, with a vast range of styles from elegant and simple pieces that highlight the unique qualities of clay to those with stunning paintings and embellishments.
Additionally, they come in a variety of shapes and materials, so pick the one that best fits your needs and tastes.
Uwade Kyusu–Top-Handle Teapot
It's easy to hold the top-handle Kyusu, especially when it's filled with freshly boiled water. Because it is frequently larger in size and easier to lift, even when heavy with a lot of hot water, it is also simple to use when serving a small group.
Yokode Kyusu–Side-Handle Teapot
Yokode-handle In Japan, Kyushu is the most popular and traditional type of teapot.
The handle and spout are nearly perpendicular to one another, making it easier to pour tea into the tea cup in front of you and enabling a more graceful motion when holding the lid in the other hand.
Ushirode Kyusu–Back-Handle Teapot
Ushirode-handle The most popular type of teapot used in China and the West is the Kyusu. A person sitting face-to-face can pour easily because the handle and spout are in a straight line.
Japanese Tea Cup
The majority of teacups made in the Japanese style are small and handleless, which makes them ideal for concentrated tea tasting.
Select the cup that best fits your preferred tea style because the type of cup will affect the amount of heat you experience and how you drink it. A vast range of designs are also available.
Yunomi
The Yunomi type, which has a larger capacity, is the most widely used Japanese teacup during daily tea time.
It goes well with a bancha or a hojicha. Tea is typically served in a Yunomi at sushi restaurants.
They are frequently found in sushi restaurants and are tall, rounded, or cylindrical in shape.
Kumi-dashi
When viewed from the side, the Kumi-dashi type cup, on the other hand, has a semicircular silhouette due to its wider rim and shorter length.
In essence, guests are served Japanese tea there. Since most are thinly crafted and made of porcelain, they are best suited for special teas like Gyokuro which are brewed at lower temperatures rather than tea that is brewed in boiling water.
You can also appreciate the tea's color thanks to the broad frontage.
Soba-Choko
Since it can be used as a teacup, dessert cup, or sake cup in addition to its original purpose of holding soba dipping sauce, soba-choko is a popular piece of Japanese tableware.
Its qualities as a teacup fall somewhere between those of Kumi-dashi and Yunomi, so it can be used every day with any type of tea.
"Chataku" Japanese Coaster
Actually, coasters and "chataku" are two different things in Japan. A coaster stops water droplets from spilling when a cold beverage is set on it.
A chataku keeps the tea warm and stops cold air from the table from getting into the cup and cooling it down.
Additionally, the person serving the tea no longer needs to hold the drinking cup when using a chataku. Therefore, chataku is a must-have item for entertaining visitors.
"Chazutsu" Japanese Tea Canister
In Japan, a tea canister, also known as a "Chazutsu," is a unique container used to store tea leaves. This item is essential for making delicious tea and shielding tea leaves from oxidation and moisture.
Tea Sets Recommendation For Various Occasions
For Pairs of Couples, Friends
#1 Flower Dance Kutani Japanese Teapot Set
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Price: $179.00
Material: Porcelain - Kutani ware
Origin: Made in Japan
Other note: Hand-painted cherry blossoms and falling petals blown in the wind adorn this lovely Japanese teapot set. It is adorned with gold leaf and painted in light hues, making it a quintessential Kutani ware design.
At the end of the Meiji Period, Seizan Kiln was established in Terai Village, Nomi-gun (now Terai-machi, Nomi City, Ishikawa Prefecture). The company has been sincerely producing everyday tableware and interior decorations for over a century, maintaining the customs of its forebears.
#2 Gold and Silver Camellia Kutani Japanese Teapot Set
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Price: $152.00
Material: Stoneware - Kutani ware
Origin: Made in Japan
Other note: Camellias painted in gold and silver on a subdued green background adorn this lovely teapot set. The art of handcrafting can be appreciated through the traditional method of "Kannyu" (penetration). "Kannyu" refers to a fissure in glazed ceramics.
The design of this tea set, which was created by Japanese craftsmen utilizing the age-old methods of Kutani ware, is timeless and long-lasting.
For Family Or Big Group
#1 Princess Hagi Ware Tea Set
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Price: $188.00
Material: Clay
Origin: Made in Yamaguchi, Japan
Other note: The rough texture of the clay and the pockmarked surfaces with glaze cracks are what make Hagi Ware so charming. Hagi Ware can pass through liquids. This leads to yet another intriguing feature: it changes color and tone as it is used, particularly when tea is being consumed. Due to the original standards of its style, the clay's tint, and the glazing technique, Hagi Ware also effectively conveys a certain simplicity. As a result, many tea ceremony experts have praised Hage Ware.
#2 Seigaiha Blue Wave Japanese Teapot Set
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Price: $372.00
Material: Porcelain, Bamboo, Steel
Origin: Nagasaki, Japan
Other note: The teapot's elegant seigaiha wave pattern on the lid contrasts with its robust bluish-white porcelain body. An exquisite touch is added by the knob of the lid, which displays golden representations of Mount Fuji and cherry blossoms. The dobin tsuru, a sleek bamboo handle, guarantees a comfortable grip and adds a natural touch. The teapot is ideal for making tea because it also comes with a stainless steel tea strainer. It is made easier to use by its tastefully narrow spout.
Traditionally used for serving guests, these teacups are bigger than regular teacups and have lids. Their softly curved rims make drinking them comfortable, and when guests lift the lids, they can smell the tea, which adds to the whole experience.
With its spreading ripples signifying the growth of positive relationships, the seigaiha pattern is a representation of good fortune. When paired with the seigaiha pattern, the image of Mount Fuji, which extends from the summit to the base, is also believed to symbolize growing relationships and indicates that the teapot set as a whole is auspicious.
For the Matcha Tea Ceremony
Deluxe Matcha Starter Set
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Price: $188.00
Material: -
Origin: Chasen, and Sifter are made in China. Matcha Bowl, Chashaku, Chakin, and Matcha are made in Japan
Other note:
The set includes,
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Kyo-yaki Mishima or Crescent Waves Chawan (matcha bowl); Tokoname-yaki Grey Kohiki
This is a classic-shaped matcha bowl with a two-layer finish of translucent glaze and white slip that creates a distinctive effect with tiny black iron spots, glaze crazing, and subtle color variations (貫入). - 64-tine matcha whisk Shin Chasen
This whisk, which has about 64 tines, can be used to knead a thick, rich koicha as well as whip up a fine, foamy usucha. - Matcha scoop, or chashaku
- Chakin Hoda-ori (tea cloth)
- Stainless steel sieve
- A 20g can of Kiku-no-Sono matcha and a 10g bag of Umezuki
Grown on small Japanese farms known for producing high-quality matcha for centuries.
Written by Admin Irasshai
