Today's MatchaWan :D (new name, but tea's the same)

[Seeker]

YUMMY!

[blairswhitaker]

So, ever since John Baymore gave me a tease about having a matcha can in a photo, and enlightened me as to what a chaire is - i've been searching for one.
I havent found a good source.
Something about rikyucha.com makes me nervous.
Do any of you own chaire?
Anyone know a good source for one?
Do any of our distinguished artisans ever create them?
I also wonder what i should expect to pay for a decent one?
And finally - if you have one, would you be willingto post a pic, hopefully w/ matcha involvement?
Curiously yours in matcha,
Seeker

ps- also, ive been wondering about the utility of chaire; some of them look to me like it would be difficult to get to the matcha and then get the matcha to the chawan, whats up with that?!

So I snapped some pics of my chaire,
This was made by Kouta Shimazaki, it is a Bunrin style with a tenmoku glaze. Now this piece breaks away from tradition in several ways, the lid as you can see is not ivory but porcelain, I did not take a picture of the foot but it also breaks away from traditional chaire because it has a foot ring. Kouta is a master ceramicist and I suppose that gives him some liberty to do as he wants. I only put koicha in it.

sorry the photo quality is not so good, I just snapped them before full dusk set in. I had to turn on an indoor light for some of them. I will post better ones a latter time.



amazing glaze, I wish I was a good photographer

[blairswhitaker]

on a side note chaire are considered to be like miniature sculptures and rival the cost and collectibility of chawan.

[AdamMY]

on a side note chaire are considered to be like miniature sculptures and rival the cost and collectibility of chawan.

I have quite enjoyed looking at Chaire, but they personally to me seem so unnecessary to my personal drinking habits. While I would consider getting some if I started to host tea ceremony's, when its just by myself it feels like another piece to clean and keep track of, let alone to purchase. I do really like the looks of Chaire but from a functional point of view I prefer matcha Tins when it is just me.

[David R.]

Koicha in a chawan from Mirka.

[JBaymore]

So, ever since John Baymore gave me a tease about having a matcha can in a photo, and enlightened me as to what a chaire is - i've been searching for one.
I havent found a good source.
Something about rikyucha.com makes me nervous.
Do any of you own chaire?
Anyone know a good source for one?
Do any of our distinguished artisans ever create them?
I also wonder what i should expect to pay for a decent one?
And finally - if you have one, would you be willingto post a pic, hopefully w/ matcha involvement?
Curiously yours in matcha,
Seeker

ps- also, ive been wondering about the utility of chaire; some of them look to me like it would be difficult to get to the matcha and then get the matcha to the chawan, whats up with that?!

Seeker,

I don't remember teasing you about the matcha tin at ALL. If I did... I'm sorry .

One thing to remember about chaire (as opposed to the usual lacquer or porcelain nasume) is that they are intended for koicha (thick tea), not usucha (thin tea). Most home matcha users make usucha, and do so very informally. Chaire are also intended for actual Chanoyu, so in a highly informal setting they are an "added aesthetic object". Basically meaning, "if it floats your boat....... use one".

As to the tea access issue you mention.... chaire are used a bit differently than you might expect. For a formal koicha session, the host knows how many guests he/she will be serving in advance. The correct amount of matcha for that many guests is prepared(measured, sifted etc.) and is placed in the chaire. During the ceremony a couple of scoops of the tea are ritually taken from the chaire with the chasahaku and placed into the chawan...... BUT.... the rest is poured directly out of the chaire. So the "ease of access" is not all that huge an issue.

I make chaire along with other chadogu. I've been doing so for many, many years. As a gaijin (foreigner) I can get away with "bucking tradition" . So I use porcelain lids on the stoneware chaire, and a dark almost black clay lid on the porcelain ones (it is the only thing I use porcelain for). A few weeks ago in Japan at a depato exhibition in Tokyo I ran into a Japanese potter from Mashiko using porcelain for chaire lids! Thought that was great!

Here is a picture of one I already posted in my Artisan's thread:



I also own a number of them by various Japanese artists.

As mentioned, chaire can be quite expensive pieces of chadogu. They are the main "supporting actor" to the chawan's lead role.

best,

.....................john

[blairswhitaker]

Seeker,

We really have to get you a nice chaire to go with the chawan. The "can" just does not cut it.


best,

..................john

I believe this is the "teasing" Seeker is referencing. As someone who loves chadogu I wouldn't blame seeker for wanting one "just to have it", though as I have previously stated, outside of the practicing chado they are not that useful (but still a beauty to behold.)

Oh and that is a nice piece of teaware John.

[sriracha]

Seconded. I do love me a gray glaze.

[blairswhitaker]

todays Matcha, Taste of Kyoto Reserve. Served up in my all time favorite bowl, one that I made about seven years ago.

[Seeker]

Seeker,
I don't remember teasing you about the matcha tin at ALL. If I did... I'm sorry .

Hi John,
Absolutely no apology necessary whatsoever!!!
I received that tease in the good humor that was intended!
And ever since have remained curious about chaire.
Thank you for the wonderful chaire info!
You mentioned that you make them - how/where would i peruse such wares?
All the best,
S

[David R.]

Instead of mochi...

[Seeker]

IMG_0153rsz.jpg (30.28 KiB) Viewed 1341 times

Beautiful shot Dave!
No mochi for me today either.

[David R.]

Very interesting combination. This gives me some ideas...

[Seeker]

Blair - love your chaire!
Got to get me one of those.

[blairswhitaker]

Blair - love your chaire!
Got to get me one of those.

The one in the last post is actually a natsume, a lacquered piece for holding matcha for usucha.