Newbie doubts on first kyusu(help with japanese translation)

[exquisite]

Hi everybody,

After 1 week of frustration caused by watching premium sencha claustrofobically tortured in a cristal teapot with mesh infuser I just got out desperately to find a decent kyusu. Paid 80 euros (Madrid, Spain, where these sort of things are not only rare but also overpriced) for one exacltly like this here:

http://www.nomad.sk/index.php/teapots/3 ... koname-180
(posted the link because the pictures are way better than mine).

It´s a 180 ml(6 oz) little black beauty, pretty decent for a beginner I would say, at least until I figure out where exactly my taste in tea meets the necesities of specific teaware . The kyusu stands (somehow unstable) on its handle and passes the stop pouring test by covering the lid-hole, if this is in any way relevant.

Anyways, I was wondering if anybody can help me in finding out more details about it, someone who can understand japanese, so I am posting 2 pics I just took, one macro (tried my best ) with the "artist signature" under the handle and one with the sticker which was on its bottom. Would be greatful if anyone cand tell me what do these mean.

Many thanks, wish you all a pleasant Sunday along with your favourite tea aside.
R.

1

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2

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[Victoria]

Congratulations and welcome to our Forum! It looks like a nice Tokoname pot. It is not always possible to find out who the potter is. But it looks like a fine pot. Maybe someone else can elaborate or translate.

[MarshalN]

The name is remarkably difficult to read given the hashmarks on the pot.

The sticker is just standard warnings -- "don't use it over a fire" kind of thing.

[Robert Fornell]

Don't use directly over fire.
Don't just rinse it out with your hand, clean well.
Don't leave water of tea in the kyusu for extended periods of time,wash and dry promptly.
If it falls from a high place it will break.
Use both hands when using.
Don't drag it across the table, it will scratch it.


R

[Oni]

Looks like a glazed machiene made teapot, like those yuzamashi sold by hibiki or ocha, it was definitely not worth that money, it is not porous, with that kind of money you could have bought a handmade banko kyusu.

[exquisite]

Thank you all for your answers.

I was perfectly aware that it was not worth the money, even before I bought it, but I wanted to get one that day, so I just assumed and accepted the overpricing.
I also suspect that it is not handmade, and you are right about its
semi-glazed appearance, something just feels wrong about the "shine" it has.


Anyway, if the material and and technique used are cheap, at least it has
the right form, and in that respect it does the job: allows leaves expanding filters and pours the tea. Probably it will become a decorating or travel device for fast brewing. Lesson learned, already looking for the next one . This time the real-thing.

Thanks again !

[Oni]

Try artisicnippon, or horaido, or hojotea, or yuukicha, specially the artisticnippon has a great collection of tokoname kyusu from many masters of all level, generally a kyusu is between 150 ml (mame kyusu) to 400 ml, depending on how many people it needs to serve, I use 250 ml kyusu for 2 to 3 people, and for gyokuro I use a houhin.