den's premium sencha teapot

[Salsero]

Kevin's system may have changed but I got two pots from him a year or so ago and they are high quality. One of them is my main go to pot. It's very serviceable. One has an obi-ami screen, the other ita-ami, a feature that I love, though some people just as strongly prefer sasame. Both of mine are unglazed ... I actually had to email Kevin to ask him because the finish is so hard and shiny that my daughter (who does some potting) and I couldn't decide. It looks like a very subtle glaze. Other great places to get pots are Artistic Nippon and Tokoname Yuyaku, the latter has a huge number of pots (including one of them I got from O-Cha) but a terribly frustrating catalog with lousy photos and Japanese descriptions. Having said all that, I have two pots and a couple cups from Yuyaku that were worth all the pain ... despite one being green when I expected it to be charcoal. There's also tons of other places, but O-Cha is simple, reasonably priced, good quality. The only thing is that the selection is so tiny and most of his pots are way bigger than what I want.

[devites]

I think o-cha has fantastic tea offerings and teapots. I have this one http://www.o-cha.com/green-tea/tokoname ... ki703.html
and it works so much better than my dens $19 teapot. The infuser screen hovers above the bottom so if all the tea doesnt get out you are not left with bitter drops at the end. It has a great pour and the Kirameki tasted better in it using the same parameters that I used in the Dens.http://www.o-cha.com/green-tea/tokoname ... eapot.html This one is next.

[PolyhymnianMuse]

I've been thinking of making a larger japanese green purchase with a nice kyusu recently so I may go with o-cha after your opinions of it. The teaware is very nice, at least the ones that he has, and I know already from everyone the tea is superb.

On a side note, I went to see Wall-E at my local drive in a few weeks ago, and its the cutest movie I've seen in a very long time, and from Pixar no less. I plan on buying it and watching it many times

[Chip]

I really like the concept of this screen Devites. I wish he had a few more to choose from.

[Space Samurai]

ftw.

[Geekgirl]

ftw.

agreed. gorgeous sasame.

[Chip]

Hmmm, yet ironically, or coincidentally, he does not like the Fukamushi Supreme! Maybe his screen doesn't, so he doesn't.

Sasame is stunning. I just can't bring myself to use mine for fukamushicha. But I use it for my best asamushicha without fail!!!!

[Space Samurai]

Hmmm, yet ironically, or coincidentally, he does not like the Fukamushi Supreme! Maybe his screen doesn't, so he doesn't.

Chotto mate; I didn't care for O-cha's fukamushi; Den's fukamushicha rocked my socks. And my sasame can hold it's own with fuka, be it o-cha's or den's or whoevers.

edit: hang on, gauntlet's been thrown...this shu pu was boring me anyway.

[Chip]

Hmmm, yet ironically, or coincidentally, he does not like the Fukamushi Supreme! Maybe his screen doesn't, so he doesn't.

Chotto mate; I didn't care for O-cha's fukamushi; Den's fukamushicha rocked my socks. And my sasame can hold it's own with fuka, be it o-cha's or den's or whoevers.

Touche, Samurai!

We gotta brew sometime, though. Dueling kyusus.


.

[PolyhymnianMuse]

Hmmm, yet ironically, or coincidentally, he does not like the Fukamushi Supreme! Maybe his screen doesn't, so he doesn't.

edit: hang on, gauntlet's been thrown...this shu pu was boring me anyway.

Oh Snap!

[Space Samurai]

F. T. W.

Unless of course this is too much tea dust in your cup:



Which it may very well be, but I have trouble thinking that a SS infuser would fair much better.

In all seriousness...I am just having some good-natured fun with Chip. Many Tea Chatters agree with Chip that a sasame clogs easily with something like a fukamushi, which is a step or two above tea dust, but I haven't found that to be the case.

The picture is interesting, though. It appears to me as if the natural curve of the sasame serves as a damn, holding the tea leaves back.

edit: for those who are interested to know, that's seven grams of O-Cha's fukamushi supreme to seven ounces of water.

[Salsero]

This one is next.

I have always admired that O-Cha pot. When I was around 6 or 7 we lived next door to a Japanese family and this looks soooooo much like something they would have had in their home. Looking at it brings back memories of that exotic next door we would visit often. I can smell the cooking and taste the shiny little crackers.

... In all seriousness...The picture is interesting, though. It appears to me as if the natural curve of the sasame serves as a damn, holding the tea leaves back ...

Great photo, Space. Don't forget that the floaties are part of the allure and deliciousness of fukamushi. I love to see them shimmering in that warm liquid ... it means I'm getting a shot of the good stuff!
Incisive observation on the curve of the sasame. Most of my sasames have a flatter shape. Also, judging from the lay of the leaves in the photo, you must use a slow and steady pour that doesn't slosh leaves all over the sasame. My own pour is a little fitful and definitely lacking in mindfulness ... more characterized by mindlessness, I would say!

Besides, what's a nice boy like you doing fooling around with shu anyway!!

[Space Samurai]

Yeah, I use a slow pour, good observation. Perhaps you and I can go into sasame forensics or something.

[Salsero]

sasame forensics

[greenisgood]

i agree with space whole-heartedly on the fuka-brewing ability of good old sesame filters. i just brewed some den's maki and just as always it didn't clog and i didn't get half the leaves at the bottom of my cup despite what some may imagine. especially if one incorporates a little swirling in their pour and a little back and forth shake before getting the last drop, works like a charm.