Ode to the Kyusu

[Alex]

I tracked down a plain piece of his yesterday. It was basically what I thought I was looking for but although it was lovely it sort of looked like it was missing some character. So I'm back on with seaweed and dimples

[Alex]

Damn someone bought the pot I was looking at!!!!!


Oh wait it was me 260ml + dimple

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[Chip]

Very nice Alex! I have not purchased a Hokujo yet ... hopefully one day real soon.

But I did just purchase a bunch ...

[Alex]

Very nice Alex! I have not purchased a Hokujo yet ... hopefully one day real soon.

But I did just purchase a bunch ...

Sweet! what did you get?

Toru from artisticnippon.com was incredibly helpful this time (Well everytime). We had a lot of emails back and forth and he even sent me a picture of his little pots of home (Of which he just has 3) including the one in the banner of his website. He owns 2 Hokujos and large 500ml Jinshu.

I can't recommend him enough. I really felt like I was overstepping the line with how much of his time I was taking up on this one but he kept on answering my emails with huge insightful friendly emails.

As a vendor its basically impossible to be better then Toru.

[Stentor]

I can't recommend him enough. I really felt like I was overstepping the line with how much of his time I was taking up on this one but he kept on answering my emails with huge insightful friendly emails.

You will be very pleased with the Hokujo pot. Compared to most other Tokoname his work is truly something else (as in better), in my opinion. And that's not to say that other Tokoname is bad or mediocre tea ware. I just think his level of craftsmanship is up there with the very best.

I own a Hokujo shiboridashi and two cups made by him at my request via Toru, so I definitely agree that his service is excellent!

It seems like you've been on quite the quest for the perfect kyusu in the last few months
I suppose I've focused too much on cups for a while. I might need more tea pots!

By the way, that is a beautiful, beautiful kyusu that you purchased, Alex. I like your taste.

[Alex]

Many thanks Stentor. How's the banko doing? (slightly miss that pot but glad it went to a good home)

Yeah I was very new to Japanese wares a couple of months ago so I've been buying and learning quite a bit. The Teruyuki on the other page is the love of my life. Its just so good.

The Teruyuki & Hokujo will be my two kyusus that I'll go between. I've had a really good taste of some superb pots and the experience of trying stuff has been a real pleasure. Prior to this I managed 6 months without buying any teaware will be taking a break again now.


Once the new pot arrives I'll take some pics with the Teruyuki pot side by side. Think they'll go together amazingly.

Part of what made me go for that Hokujo pot was the colour and pattern of the clay. I just thought it was stunning.

[Stentor]

Many thanks Stentor. How's the banko doing? (slightly miss that pot but glad it went to a good home.

It's doing great. I've been enjoying it so much that I actually had a moment the other day when I felt a little bad, like you might have changed your mind about it, had you given it a little more time. I'm really enjoying the wide design and large opening. I think it may really make a difference that the tea leaves have that much horizontal space to unfold in. Anyway, I really like it and I can assure you that I am treating it very well!

I have not really made any specific clay comparisons with my other pots. I don't think there's a night and day difference when compared to Tokoname, though. The difference may be some small details that you can really only notice with side by side comparisons. Delicious tea can be made in both kinds of clay for sure.

I'm sure you'll forget all about the Masaki once the Hokujo arrives. Plus you also have that Teriyuki now, right? That's a wonderful choice as well. I expect the quality to be similar to the Hokujo, though I don't have a Teruyuki myself. Well, you'll be able to compare the two really soon
Enjoy!

[Alex]

Many thanks Stentor. How's the banko doing? (slightly miss that pot but glad it went to a good home.

It's doing great. I've been enjoying it so much that I actually had a moment the other day when I felt a little bad, like you might have changed your mind about it, had you given it a little more time. I'm really enjoying the wide design and large opening. I think it may really make a difference that the tea leaves have that much horizontal space to unfold in. Anyway, I really like it and I can assure you that I am treating it very well!

I have not really made any specific clay comparisons with my other pots. I don't think there's a night and day difference when compared to Tokoname, though. The difference may be some small details that you can really only notice with side by side comparisons. Delicious tea can be made in both kinds of clay for sure.

I'm sure you'll forget all about the Masaki once the Hokujo arrives. Plus you also have that Teriyuki now, right? That's a wonderful choice as well. I expect the quality to be similar to the Hokujo, though I don't have a Teruyuki myself. Well, you'll be able to compare the two really soon
Enjoy!

Yeah I'll do a full comparison between the two once I get them to give people some reference.

That Banko had a great shape. If you slow pour, all the leaf just stays flat and relaxed on the bottom of the pot. Really pleased to hear you're enjoying it.

I did a side by side taste test with a basic tokoname pot and that banko, It was like the tea tasted the same but the water was slightly smoother. I thought it brewed up a great cup of tea.

Using the Teruyuki all day. I'm in awe of it every time I use it.

[debunix]

Damn someone bought the pot I was looking at!!!!!

Oh wait it was me

Beautiful form on that pot.

[Alex]

Damn someone bought the pot I was looking at!!!!!


Oh wait it was me 260ml + dimple

yakishime1_1.jpg

Got this pot today. Stunning little pot!

4 days to the UK!

Will post up some detailed pics within a couple of days time

me=

[Alex]

Sorry for old digi cam pics. But here's the best I could do.

Pics of both the pots.

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[Alex]

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[Alex]

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Both pots are highly functional with very fine flawless sasame filters. The Hokujo clay surface is very textured with waves and a fine grainy texture while the Teruyuki is incredible smooth.

They both brew up superb tea and while I was taking pics I thought I'd brew up tea in both with exact measurements. Tea from the Teruyuki had an edge in smoothness but thats more probably because its had 500 grams of fine sencha run through it.

The pour on both is fantastic. The Hokujo just effortlessly falls out of the spout where as the Teruyuki is like a strong laser beam of tea and the subtle lip on the spout means that not a single drop runs down the body of the pot. Craftsman ship - there's nothing in it, they are both finished in the highest possible way with incredibly subtle touches. And actually as a pair although they are extremely different in many ways they look so good together on my tea table.

[Drax]

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Beautiful...! If the backdrop was black, these two pictures look like they could be images of planets....!

[Alex]

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Beautiful...! If the backdrop was black, these two pictures look like they could be images of planets....!

I read that as "I must buy more planets/teapots to have a complete solar system"

*Off to artisticnippon.com*

j/k