Small Kiyomizu-yaki Kyusu Teapot By Ippodo

Member reiviews of teaware related products.


User avatar
Oct 18th, '12, 06:59
Posts: 1408
Joined: Oct 5th, '09, 05:03
Location: UK

Small Kiyomizu-yaki Kyusu Teapot By Ippodo

by Alex » Oct 18th, '12, 06:59

This is my quick review for the Small Kiyomizu-yaki Kyusu Teapot By Ippodo

I'd eyed up this kyusu for some time but always knew that it wasn't going to be quite worth the price for what it was. However I really wanted this size and shape so I knew the time would come to order one....and it did :mrgreen:

Ippodo are great so I won't review the transaction but just to say it was perfect.

First thing that struck me when opening the box was this lovely smell of aromatic burnt wood. I don't know if that's what it smells like in their shop, but if it does then I really want to go there.

Now on to the kyusu.

As soon as I lifted the lid off the kyusu it chimed in that fine way that high end porcelain does. Which for the price I expected. First thing I noticed which was nice was the direct filter, which looked like on 5 holes on their website but was actually 9 (see picture below)

The spout has a sharp finished edge and the pour is decent for this sort of spout shape. The finish is perfect with not a single blemish or scratch, and the base is perfectly flat with zero wobble. The knob on the lid is lovely to grip and the feel in the hand is excellent for a kyusu of this size, the handle for instance fits my hand far better then my 200ml hojo pot. For reference I measured to the rim and its just shy of 140ml so a 120ml serving size as listed on the site seems in keeping.

Regarding the price it would have seemed more reasonable to me for it to be 25% cheaper but I would re-buy in an instant as its just what me and the wife wanted to brew various teas in.

The filter performs great. There's a cup it poured of Asu sencha in the pictures below. That was poured in about 3 seconds or less. Tasted amazing but doesn't all tea brewed in lovely new teaware? :mrgreen:

I hope this review was of interest to some. Here's the pics
box.JPG
box.JPG (26.5 KiB) Viewed 9101 times
tray.JPG
tray.JPG (21.6 KiB) Viewed 9101 times
spout.JPG
spout.JPG (13.39 KiB) Viewed 9101 times
Last edited by Alex on Dec 3rd, '12, 16:33, edited 3 times in total.

User avatar
Oct 18th, '12, 07:00
Posts: 1408
Joined: Oct 5th, '09, 05:03
Location: UK

Re: Small Kiyomizu-yaki Kyusu Teapot By Ippodo

by Alex » Oct 18th, '12, 07:00

filter.JPG
filter.JPG (12.46 KiB) Viewed 9100 times
palm.JPG
palm.JPG (27.6 KiB) Viewed 9100 times
handle.JPG
handle.JPG (26.84 KiB) Viewed 9100 times

User avatar
Oct 18th, '12, 07:01
Posts: 1408
Joined: Oct 5th, '09, 05:03
Location: UK

Re: Small Kiyomizu-yaki Kyusu Teapot By Ippodo

by Alex » Oct 18th, '12, 07:01

cup.JPG
cup.JPG (19.06 KiB) Viewed 9100 times
lid.JPG
lid.JPG (22.99 KiB) Viewed 9100 times

Oct 18th, '12, 20:17
Posts: 115
Joined: May 27th, '12, 17:53
Location: NYC

Re: Small Kiyomizu-yaki Kyusu Teapot By Ippodo

by MacGuffin » Oct 18th, '12, 20:17

What a beautiful little thing! Enjoy!

User avatar
Oct 19th, '12, 04:09
Posts: 1076
Joined: Oct 6th, '09, 08:08
Location: France
Contact: David R.

Re: Small Kiyomizu-yaki Kyusu Teapot By Ippodo

by David R. » Oct 19th, '12, 04:09

Nice ! A bit pricy indeed, but very well made. Over there, they tend to put a lot of leaves in it, like 10g of sencha, and what seems to be even more Hojicha. :)

I hope it will make a good companion to your black clay kyusu. I like to use both.

User avatar
Oct 19th, '12, 08:06
Posts: 2794
Joined: Oct 16th, '08, 21:01
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Arlington, VA
Been thanked: 2 times
Contact: Drax

Re: Small Kiyomizu-yaki Kyusu Teapot By Ippodo

by Drax » Oct 19th, '12, 08:06

Very nice, Alex, thanks for sharing! I really like the wide, low profile on that one, and the stylized IPPODO characters on front look really nice without looking like a logo!

User avatar
Oct 19th, '12, 13:57
Posts: 1408
Joined: Oct 5th, '09, 05:03
Location: UK

Re: Small Kiyomizu-yaki Kyusu Teapot By Ippodo

by Alex » Oct 19th, '12, 13:57

Drax wrote:Very nice, Alex, thanks for sharing! I really like the wide, low profile on that one, and the stylized IPPODO characters on front look really nice without looking like a logo!
Yeah I love low & wide as well. Just find them really inviting and they make you feel really involved with the tea. Glad you enjoyed!

David R. wrote:Nice ! A bit pricy indeed, but very well made. Over there, they tend to put a lot of leaves in it, like 10g of sencha, and what seems to be even more Hojicha. :)

I hope it will make a good companion to your black clay kyusu. I like to use both.
Its wonderful. Me and my wife have been running different teas through it all day. Had a really nice dragon well in it earlier. Its pricey but I feel I'll get its cost per use down to mere pence in a very short time :mrgreen:

User avatar
Nov 3rd, '12, 19:40
Posts: 25
Joined: Jan 20th, '11, 05:38
Location: Slovakia

Re: Small Kiyomizu-yaki Kyusu Teapot By Ippodo

by naivemonarch » Nov 3rd, '12, 19:40

Really nice teapot! Now I am deciding to purchase something like it but I am wonder if it is not bit pricey. I really like the function, design, quality, easy-to-use/wash and volume of my gyokuro teapot from Maiko http://www.maiko.ne.jp/english/shopping ... 0301-2.jpg But the price tag is somewhere around 25 usd :) The shape of Ippodo kyusu is beautiful, also design with logo is nice to me. Do you think it is worth the price considering the quality of porcelain?

User avatar
Nov 5th, '12, 08:21
Posts: 1408
Joined: Oct 5th, '09, 05:03
Location: UK

Re: Small Kiyomizu-yaki Kyusu Teapot By Ippodo

by Alex » Nov 5th, '12, 08:21

The porcelain is lovely....its so high fired and strong it nearly sounds like metal.

Its hard to say if its worth it or not but I'll try. If there were loads of these style at half the price, same size and shape then this wouldn't be worth it. However as I could source nothing else like this, then yes to me its well worth it. I'd by it again in a flash. Its become my most use bit of teaware now and I can't see that changing. I love it! and the more time passes the more meaningless the money involved becomes.

Its just as lovely as any clay pot I've bought in this price range, and I've been using it far more, so yes its worth it......to me. 8)

If I was going to get rid of my pots and just keep one then this would be it.

Hope that helps a little.

User avatar
Nov 6th, '12, 14:41
Posts: 25
Joined: Jan 20th, '11, 05:38
Location: Slovakia

Re: Small Kiyomizu-yaki Kyusu Teapot By Ippodo

by naivemonarch » Nov 6th, '12, 14:41

Yes, this subjective look from owners side is very helpful for me. This makes purchasing of any teaware so adventuring experience :D

Thanks for additional info :) Look like it should be good choice for my teaware collection.

User avatar
Nov 7th, '12, 14:52
Posts: 1408
Joined: Oct 5th, '09, 05:03
Location: UK

Re: Small Kiyomizu-yaki Kyusu Teapot By Ippodo

by Alex » Nov 7th, '12, 14:52

Awesome! glad I could be of help :D

Nov 9th, '12, 17:07
Posts: 364
Joined: Dec 29th, '09, 12:49
Location: Nor Cal

Re: Small Kiyomizu-yaki Kyusu Teapot By Ippodo

by NOESIS » Nov 9th, '12, 17:07

I bought one of those a few years back. Very functional, but I'm not as much of a fan of porcelain for brewing high-end Japanese green teas. Dunno, but reduction clay seems to favour my taste buds. Still, a nice piece (despite the steep price). Also, the larger Tokoname kyusu that they sell performs admirably with every tea that I've put thru it.

User avatar
Nov 21st, '12, 04:22
Posts: 1408
Joined: Oct 5th, '09, 05:03
Location: UK

Re: Small Kiyomizu-yaki Kyusu Teapot By Ippodo

by Alex » Nov 21st, '12, 04:22

Side by side I prefer this to my reduction clays for taste. I've always had a soft spot for porcelain though. For 5 years I used nothing but a porcelain gaiwan so I think that plays a role in my taste. :mrgreen:

I'll be going between both of course though 8)

Nov 21st, '12, 07:15
Posts: 11
Joined: Nov 19th, '12, 07:09
Location: New York

Re: Small Kiyomizu-yaki Kyusu Teapot By Ippodo

by Bigdumogre » Nov 21st, '12, 07:15

Wow really nice pot thnx for sharing

User avatar
Nov 21st, '12, 13:43
Posts: 1408
Joined: Oct 5th, '09, 05:03
Location: UK

Re: Small Kiyomizu-yaki Kyusu Teapot By Ippodo

by Alex » Nov 21st, '12, 13:43

Bigdumogre wrote:Wow really nice pot thnx for sharing
You're most welcome! 8)

+ Post Reply