Matcha tea ware

[chamekke]

Thanks for the reply's everyone! The links had lots of beautiful chawans but a little more expensive than I would want to spend. I like this one from Rishi. What do you guys think. http://www.rishi-tea.com/store/product. ... =12&page=1

Beautiful cup, but much too small for Matcha, you'd have a very difficult time whisking in that.

It is definitely on the small side. However, there are nodate chawan-s with that diameter and height; I have two that are just a whisker larger. I can put a full-sized chasen in them, no problem. So it might just be possible with this one. Hard to know without trying to actually whisk a bowl of tea. It'd be nice to know the shape of the inside of the cup.

Speaking of which, I'm wondering whether it's telling that the listing keeps referring to it as a "teacup". In Japan, the word chawan sometimes refers to sencha cups (when bowl-shaped) as well as matcha teabowls.

shogun89, if your heart is really set on this as a matcha bowl, maybe you could write to the seller for some clarification.

[Geekgirl]

It is definitely on the small side. However, there are nodate chawan-s with that diameter and height; I have two that are just a whisker larger. I can put a full-sized chasen in them, no problem. So it might just be possible with this one.

I suppose you're right, I have the one teabowl that is just a touch under that size, and I can use a "travel-size" chasen in it without difficulty. But for a first bowl, it might be kind of frustrating.

[shogun89]

Thanks for the reply's everyone! The links had lots of beautiful chawans but a little more expensive than I would want to spend. I like this one from Rishi. What do you guys think. http://www.rishi-tea.com/store/product. ... =12&page=1

Beautiful cup, but much too small for Matcha, you'd have a very difficult time whisking in that.

It is definitely on the small side. However, there are nodate chawan-s with that diameter and height; I have two that are just a whisker larger. I can put a full-sized chasen in them, no problem. So it might just be possible with this one. Hard to know without trying to actually whisk a bowl of tea. It'd be nice to know the shape of the inside of the cup.

Speaking of which, I'm wondering whether it's telling that the listing keeps referring to it as a "teacup". In Japan, the word chawan sometimes refers to sencha cups (when bowl-shaped) as well as matcha teabowls.

shogun89, if your heart is really set on this as a matcha bowl, maybe you could write to the seller for some clarification.

I like the bowl, but in no way is my heart set on it, It just looked kinda neat for the price. But then again I love the look of those little sencha pots, that are the same price.

[joelbct]

All this talk of Chawans makes me think. I drink as much Sencha as Matcha, and Chawans are expensive, so I have decided to focus my collection on Yunomi.

I have noticed that master Chawan artists, whose work often goes for thousands of dollars, will produce similar Yunomi that go for $50-200. The latter is more affordable, but you are still getting the work of a top artist.

Just a thought....

[shogun89]

All this talk of Chawans makes me think. I drink as much Sencha as Matcha, and Chawans are expensive, so I have decided to focus my collection on Yunomi.

I have noticed that master Chawan artists, whose work often goes for thousands of dollars, will produce similar Yunomi that go for $50-200. The latter is more affordable, but you are still getting the work of a top artist.

Just a thought....

Thats what I am just starting to realize, As much as I love the neat little tea bowls, the truth is a 12 year old could make one in art class. I will eventually get one but I never knew how much they could cost. I think I will just buy a nice $35 sencha tea pot from artist nippon.

[chamekke]

As much as I love the neat little tea bowls, the truth is a 12 year old could make one in art class.

Well-ll... making a good chawan requires much more expertise than is commonly realized. But I would be very charmed by a 12-year-old's effort - and by any schoolteacher who is teaching such things in their art class!

I will eventually get one but I never knew how much they could cost. I think I will just buy a nice $35 sencha tea pot from artist nippon.

Not a bad idea. Toru san is 100% reliable. He will not steer you wrong

[Salsero]

I will probably just end up getting a starter kit. or just get this tea pot with some nice sencha and just stop there for a bit.
http://www.artisticnippon.com/product/t ... kanna.html

I have that Tobikanna kyusu and it is sweet.

[shogun89]

As much as I love the neat little tea bowls, the truth is a 12 year old could make one in art class.

Well-ll... making a good chawan requires much more expertise than is commonly realized. But I would be very charmed by a 12-year-old's effort - and by any schoolteacher who is teaching such things in their art class!

I'm sorry if that came off wrong. I am by no means questioning a chawans craftsmanship or anything, all I'm saying is for the price theres not too much difficulty behind the process compared to say a pot.

[shogun89]

I will probably just end up getting a starter kit. or just get this tea pot with some nice sencha and just stop there for a bit.
http://www.artisticnippon.com/product/t ... kanna.html

I have that Tobikanna kyusu and it is sweet.

I'm glad you like yours, I will probably end up getting this one,
http://www.artisticnippon.com/product/t ... itome.html

[joelbct]

Thats what I am just starting to realize, As much as I love the neat little tea bowls, the truth is a 12 year old could make one in art class.

I would have to disagree with you there. Many of the techniques take decades to master. Some Shino glazes, for instance, have a 70% failure rate during firing, even for master craftsmen. Also, many Chawan artists have fine arts degrees from international universities.

Of course many Chawan are meant to look rustic or "natural," in harmony with nature as opposed to polished and uniform, and this aesthetic may not appeal to everyone, but it is a highly thought-out intention that evolved as the Tea Ceremony evolved, out of Zen Buddhist ideals.

It is sort of like how a Jackson Pollack Painting might at first seem like the product of a child, but the art world has actually determined his to be the work of great genius.



Here is an excerpt from the Raku Museum website:

"The characteristics of Raku tea bowls as pioneered by Chôjirô are their exclusive use of monochrome black or red glazes - in marked contrast to the brightness of the san cai wares from which they evolved - and an unique aesthetic which aims at the elimination of movement, decoration and variation of form.

In this Raku wares reflect more directly than any other kind of ceramic the ideals of wabicha, the form of tea ceremony based on the aesthetics of wabi advocated by Sen Rikyu. Central to the philosophy of wabicha were notions of "nothingness" deriving from Zen Buddhism and the "isness" of Taoism.

Chôjirô, however, through his negation of movement, decoration and variation of form, went beyond the boundaries of individualistic expression and elevated the tea bowl into a manifestation of abstract spirituality."

[MR.T]

Hello I was just reading through some of the Matcha post I found it rather interesting to see how many people are into Matcha, I love that stuff the price is worth it especially the cost that star bucks charges for a small cup and only a few spoons.
I would also like to recommend the place I have been buying my Matcha and other tea stuff from, geo-tea dot com they seem to have a decent amount of products and often have auctions on eBay for there Matcha. I have been trying to find a good quality Wisk if anyone knows

EDIT by Mod, link removed, please read forum rules under Introduction. Thanks.

[Space Samurai]

Joel, your post reminded me of a scene in Breakfast of Champions where Rabo Karabekian defends his painting after being told, "We don't think much of your painting. I've seen better pictures done by a five-year-old."

Sometimes what looks simple and easy is very, very complicated.

[bambooforest]

Sometimes what looks simple and easy is very, very complicated.

My Sifu (Kung Fu teacher) once said, "it's simple, but not easy."

Good point. Simplicity may suggest effectiveness. But, it does not always suggest ease of mastery.

[Pentox]

The zensuke sets look pricey, i've seen those sets elsewhere though and they're decent sets. If you find a chawan you like with them, it may be the right choice for you. The zensuke sets come with a natsume (small container for matcha), which for a starter set isn't terribly necessary. It also doesn't come with matcha like the ippodo set comes with.

But what is most important is to find something that has a chawan that you like.