How many kyusu's...

[britt]

Collecting is not my goal, although some of these pretties are hard to resist.

Good point about quality! I have a Yohen by Soukou



I can't compare because I have only one, but it feels like a top quality to me. How does it compare with Hokujo?

It looks like it's from Artistic Nippon, so I would assume it to be of very high quality.

I think the Hokujo's are so good because they tend to be very thin and light and this contributes to the quality of first harvest sencha or gyokuro by allowing the heat to escape quickly. This thin and light construction is supposed to be very difficult to achieve with Tokoname clay.

I don't necessarily believe that thin and light is best for later harvest sencha, houjicha, or genmaicha. High quality kyusu I own that have been replaced by Hokujo's for first harvest sencha are still high quality kyusu; I can always use them for another type of Japanese tea later. They are still noticeably better than what I had before. I just haven't been able to better the exceptional results I consistently get from all 7 of my Hokujo kyusu.

Toru of Artistic Nippon has told me that he uses a Hokujo, the one at the top of the Tokaname page (rust colored "rustic" with the dent and white stripe). I also have this one.

[greenisgood]

My rishi fukugata (even with the broken, glued handle) has served me well, i have no complaints. I personally would rather spend the money on tea as long as a have a teapot that makes tea as well as I could ask. I haven't really gotten into gyokuro yet, I brew houjicha Western style in a glazed teapot (cause its houjicha, no big deal), and I usually brew my very occassional genmaicha the same way.

I feel like if I had more than one kyusu I would still use one more than the others. I like having different teapots for very different teas: like a gaiwan for my chinese greens, yixings for my oolongs, and a regular old Beehouse for my darj's. But I've kind of resisted the temptation to get more teaware than I need. I suppose if I had a million dollars to spend on tea I would buy all kinds of stuff...but I don't.

[Sam.]

I still only have my one humble $19 shincha teapot from Den's. I could see myself buying one more in the future, but for now I don't need it. I must admit that I love this little pot. I've been drinking far more Japanese teas (compared to Chinese teas in my gaiwan) because of both my love for the pot itself and for the teas. Plenty of sencha, fukamushi, kukicha and a bit of houjicha.

[britt]

...I brew houjicha Western style in a glazed teapot (cause its houjicha, no big deal), and I usually brew my very occassional genmaicha the same way..

I do the same using a small (6 oz) Somayaki kyusu and it works very well. The Somayaki is glazed inside and out. It also has double walls so is very heavy for its size, which I think is beneficial to genmaicha and houjicha.

I suppose if I had a million dollars to spend on tea I would buy all kinds of stuff...but I don't.

Different people will take it to different levels. I admit I don't need all the kyusu I have, although I do use them all. I have relatively cheap rent and I drive a 13 year old Honda, so I don't have to allocate too much each month to the necessities.

[britt]

I still only have my one humble $19 shincha teapot from Den's. I could see myself buying one more in the future, but for now I don't need it.

I wish I had this kind of self-control!

I must admit that I love this little pot. I've been drinking far more Japanese teas (compared to Chinese teas in my gaiwan) because of both my love for the pot itself and for the teas. Plenty of sencha, fukamushi, kukicha and a bit of houjicha.

You hit a key point; how much the teaware can increase your enjoyment of the overall tea experience. This transcends price and is very personal, but it is also very real. To many the teaware is unimportant, but to me, it is very important, as is the overall feeling it conveys.

And yes, we should allocate enough money to actually keep a decent stock of tea.

[Thirsty Daruma]

I'm a bit shocked nobody has confessed to owning one kyusuu for each type of Sencha.

Personally, I can only afford one, and so own a Fukugata from Rishi was has served my Japanese green habits admirably. I could definitely purchase a second for gyokuro, but houjicha? That seems a bit off to me. I've never encountered a houjicha that was so subtle or complex that it couldn't be brewed in mass in my convenient brew-in-mug.

[chamekke]

When we say "kyusu", are we speaking exclusively of the Japanese side-handled teapots? I'm asking because the Japanese themselves sometimes use this word for other kinds of teapots (including the ones with no handle at all).

I use a Tokoname kyusu for my shincha and sencha. Tokoname is like the Brown Betty of Japan, isn't it? And I own another, larger Tokoname kyusu, but it doesn't get used very often (i.e. only when there are at least 3 guests who want to drink green tea). Another small ceramic kyusu with momiji design is reserved for certain flavoured teas, e.g. jasmine pearls.

By the way, yesterday I rediscovered a kyusu-and-two-cups set that I'd actually stored away and forgotten about (!!!). The set is in a calligraphed kiri box complete with ribbon, and it looks mostly traditional; however, there are stickers underneath that say "2nd Boston Tea Party" and "Showa Boston". I'm assuming it was created and/or sold under the auspices of the Showa Boston Institute for [Japanese] Language and Culture. It's an odd set in several respects ... I may post photos for comment later

[scruffmcgruff]

I have two kyusus. I have a nicer one from Artistic Nippon which I use about 95% of the time, and I have a junker kyusu, which I kept at home for use when I was back from school.

I don't really feel compelled to buy more. I think there are some gorgeous ones out there that I would love to have, if only I could find a use for them.

[britt]

I could definitely purchase a second for gyokuro, but houjicha? That seems a bit off to me. I've never encountered a houjicha that was so subtle or complex that it couldn't be brewed in mass in my convenient brew-in-mug.

The point is that you probably don't want to brew houjicha or genmaicha in the same unglazed clay pot that you use for shincha and sencha. I use the Somayaki for these two teas because it's glazed, so any type of tea can be brewed in it without the taste being affected by other previously brewed teas. I also use it because these two teas benefit from a pot that holds in the heat. A good Tokaname releases heat quickly, which is better for shincha and straight sencha.

O-Cha.com actually has some awesome houjicha.

[Space Samurai]

When we say "kyusu", are we speaking exclusively of the Japanese side-handled teapots? I'm asking because the Japanese themselves sometimes use this word for other kinds of teapots (including the ones with no handle at all).

I understand kyusu to mean teapot in genearl yes. Yokode reffering to a handle on the side, and Ushirode a handle on the back, yes?

[britt]

When we say "kyusu", are we speaking exclusively of the Japanese side-handled teapots? I'm asking because the Japanese themselves sometimes use this word for other kinds of teapots (including the ones with no handle at all).

I like to use the term kyusu for all Japanese pots; 90 degree side handled, bow handle, 180 degree side handle, and no handle. However, because so many consider a kyusu to be the 90 degree side handle, I sometimes clarify which one I'm talking about or call it something else.

I use a Tokoname kyusu for my shincha and sencha. Tokoname is like the Brown Betty of Japan, isn't it? ...Another small ceramic kyusu with momiji design is reserved for certain flavoured teas, e.g. jasmine pearls.

Tokaname is the most popular kyusu in Japan, followed by Banko. I don't know anything about Western teaware, but I think your reference to Brown Betty meant it is popular in the West?

I haven't tried brewing Chinese tea in a kyusu yet. Quite a few forum members
do this, so maybe I'll give it a try.

By the way, yesterday I rediscovered a kyusu-and-two-cups set that I'd actually stored away and forgotten about (!!!).

Nice surprise; Christmas in June!

[chamekke]

I use a Tokoname kyusu for my shincha and sencha. Tokoname is like the Brown Betty of Japan, isn't it?

Tokaname is the most popular kyusu in Japan, followed by Banko. I don't know anything about Western teaware, but I think your reference to Brown Betty meant it is popular in the West?

Yes, it's a Western teapot. Properly speaking I think it refers to a particular line of pots, but the term is often applied to any brown earthenware teapot of the English style. Personally, I think of my brown earthenware Sadler teapot as being the definitive Brown Betty. Reey posted a photo of one on the "Show Off your Cups and Pots!" thread today.

The Sadler I own is a big six-cup Brown Betty that I inherited from my mother; it says SADLER and ENGLAND on the base. Like most Brown Betties (Bettys?), it's typically reserved for British-style black teas, either loose or bagged. I was always taught to rinse it out rather than to wash it, so as not to damage the nice tannic patina that builds up on the inside

Side note: Sadler has started making brightly coloured teapots (all of which seem to be manufactured in China), but their brown classics - for whatever reason - are still being made in England.

So that's why I was saying that just as the Tokoname is the preferred pot for brewing sencha in most Japanese households, the Brown Betty is (or at least was) equally the household standard for brewing black teas in Britain... and the Commonwealth at large

[britt]

Yes, it's a Western teapot. Properly speaking I think it refers to a particular line of pots, but the term is often applied to any brown earthenware teapot of the English style. Personally, I think of my brown earthenware Sadler teapot as being the definitive Brown Betty. Reey posted a photo of one on the "Show Off your Cups and Pots!" thread today.

The Sadler I own is a big six-cup Brown Betty that I inherited from my mother; it says SADLER and ENGLAND on the base. Like most Brown Betties (Bettys?), it's typically reserved for British-style black teas, either loose or bagged. I was always taught to rinse it out rather than to wash it, so as not to damage the nice tannic patina that builds up on the inside

Side note: Sadler has started making brightly coloured teapots (all of which seem to be manufactured in China), but their brown classics - for whatever reason - are still being made in England.

So that's why I was saying that just as the Tokoname is the preferred pot for brewing sencha in most Japanese households, the Brown Betty is (or at least was) equally the household standard for brewing black teas in Britain... and the Commonwealth at large

I see that your knowledge of tea is not limited to the Japanese Tea Ceremony. Thanks for the Brown Betty summary. I've heard of them, but I had no idea what they were other than some kind of teapot or kettle.

Although my mother was born in England, she was never a tea drinker. My grandparents were, but that was too long ago for me to remember the details.

My own interest in tea didn't begin until I started to frequent sushi bars some time ago, and even then tea often took a back seat to sake, beer, and plum wine. About three years ago I started drinking cheaper Japanese green tea to replace Coke and Pepsi. A year ago I decided to try the good stuff and got hooked for life.

[bi lew chun]

I have a Yohen by Soukou



I can't compare because I have only one, but it feels like a top quality to me. How does it compare with Hokujo?

Beautiful kyusu! I love the ones that look like old, worn metal.

[Salsero]

I have a Yohen by Soukou

Beautiful kyusu! I love the ones that look like old, worn metal.

Me too. That is a beautiful kyusu, Russian Soul. What's the capacity? I suppose that Soukou is the craftsman, but what does Yohen mean?

(Of course, Joel's and Toru's (Britt's) are also beautiful. Don't mean to leave you out guys!)