Kyusu or Matcha kit?

[Nebs]

I have been thinking about expanding my teaware collection to japanese ones and I'm wondering should I order my first kyusu or matcha set. Since I'm student I can't afford them both at once. Shops that I have been looking at are O-cha, Hibiki-an and Yuuki-cha, currently O-cha seems to be best place to order. If you have any suggestions I would be glad to hear. So which one should I choose, I really don't know .

[Mrs. Chip]

Hi Nebs! Both are worthy choices, however I would recommend a kyusu. A matcha kit would limit you to brewing matcha only, whereas a kyusu can be used for a plethora of teas, along with Japanese greens. I based this on your status as a 'student', you would have more tea options with the kyusu. You can check out our kyusu topic for some other vendor recommendations. I know Den ' s has a nice entry level kyusu if you are on a budget. Hope this gives you some food for thought.

[Nebs]

Thank you for answering Mrs. Chip, I actually didin't think about that side of the issue yet. Kyusu really has more variety than chawan, I need to study them more so I can find the one that could suit for me. I have seen there is lots of different filters and they suit for different teas, an all-rounder if there is such thing would be best.

[the_economist]

If you go for a porcelain kyusu, you can use it for any and everything (other than matcha).

[Nebs]

Hi the_economist, I have plenty of porcelain teaware, so I was thinking clay or unglazed kyusu to be my first japanese teapot. I assume that unglazed ones work in same way than yixing pots maybe? I will read these topics further so I really know what would be best.

[tdell001]

I bought a kyusu before a chawan and I don't regret this. I got my kyusu for a pretty good deal from artisticnippon.com. O, but if you get a kyusu I recommend getting a pretty small (~8 oz or less) one if you make tea for one or two. Currently I use a porcelain bowl to make matcha, but I am currently itching to get a traditional looking chawan.

[Nicklause]

Quick question, can you use a houhin to brew sencha? I know you can brew gyokuro using the kyusu but can it be done the other way around? It seems the same to me the only significant difference between a houhin and kyusu seems to be the size.

[theredbaron]

Quick question, can you use a houhin to brew sencha? I know you can brew gyokuro using the kyusu but can it be done the other way around? It seems the same to me the only significant difference between a houhin and kyusu seems to be the size.

The only real difference between tea ware for brewing Sencha and Gyokuro is size. While you ca easily brew Sencha in a small Kyusu/Hohin, it would be very expensive if you brew a Gyokuro in a larger vessel as for Gyokuro brewing you use a larger amount of leaves per water ratio (in addition that Gyokuro is more expensive than Sencha).
If you want one vessel for both kinds of tea - i would suggest a smaller one first (not more than 120 ml).

[Noonie]

If you want to mainly drink green tea (sencha, gyokuro--maybe not on a student's budget ) then an unglazed Kyusu, like many of the ones from O-Cha would be fine. If you like fukamushi, you could go for one of their fukamushi pots (dragon lilies)...I have one and use it for fukamushi, asamushi and gyokuro. I got mine as a part of one of their kits.

Good luck!

[Nebs]

If you want to mainly drink green tea (sencha, gyokuro--maybe not on a student's budget ) then an unglazed Kyusu, like many of the ones from O-Cha would be fine. If you like fukamushi, you could go for one of their fukamushi pots (dragon lilies)...I have one and use it for fukamushi, asamushi and gyokuro. I got mine as a part of one of their kits.

Good luck!

Thanks Noonie! Fukamushi sencha and genmaitcha for me. If my local grocery store keeps messing up with tea prices I will also drink gyokuro. (They sold it once 8e/100g instead of 20e/100g ). But this teapot will mainly be for fukamushi sencha.
The one you suggest would be really good one. But I was thinking would 'belt' type mesh work with fukamushi tea, I have heard some types of mesh will clog easily.

[Nebs]

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[Chip]

That sounds like a question best answered by O-Cha.

[Nebs]

That sounds like a question best answered by O-Cha.

Yup, maybe better wait for their answer.

[Noonie]

I have no experience with the belt filter, but the one I mentioned has never clogged (in fact, I just used it five minutes ago). None of the pots with a removable belt do it for me...seems sloppy and something else to clean, remove, reinstall.

Good luck!

[Nebs]

Aaand my fukamushi kyusu kit is coming! Thank you everyone that helped me out. It's coming in 1st class, let's hope it will find it's way here safe, Finnish customs have had some kind of problem with ESM.
This is the one that I picked: https://www.o-cha.com/Fukamushi-Teapot-16513.html
I really like how it looks like it's made out of copper, it's not going to win any beauty pageants but something in it pleases me. Also it's pretty cheap. Tea that is coming with it is Chiran Asatsuyu Sencha, I was going to order Organic Chiran or Fukamushi Sencha Kaoru, but sadly they are not on the list if you are ordering the kit.
I almost can't wait it to arrive.

Noonie, I thought removable belt would be easy to clean, but maybe not. It might be really sloppy as you said. Almost every kyusy in my local Japanese store has the belt filter, but maybe one day I dare to try one.