Ode to the Kyusu

[Puk]

If it brews as nicely as it looks it is a treasure.

I wish I could be more helpful with this but only have a modest collection of pots to compare it to. All I can say is that it energizes aftertaste and loosens body. You should ask Chip, and then if he responds favorably, you should get one. :X

And debunix, I could show you its battle scars! It's so ugly in so many awesome ways (I chose the one with lots of flaws). Battle swan. Demon cat. Baby elephant. I could wax on.

Wow that's too nice for a first Kyusu! get back in line! <3

TY! Perhaps it's my first because I had yet to meet one to smack me over the head. I don't see myself wanting another one soon.

[Alex]

...So been wanting to get a Yamada Sou red for soooooo long now....just over two years in fact. But I've held off for a couple reasons. One being I've got a few choice pots that I use all the time and don't need any more, and Two what I wanted was never all there in the models I saw.

I wanted round, around 250ml+- with an inward sloping lid and curved rather then straight handle. Not much to ask!

Anyway I've just ordered this and I'm very excited. My TAD has been under control the last year so I don't mind lapsing for this too much

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[Pig Hog]

Lovely kyusu! Hope it performs as well as it looks.

[Alex]

I heard his Kyusu-s are very good brewers!....although anything resembling teas gotta taste amazing coming out of that!

[Puk]

^ When will it arrive? I admire your patience and determination

[Alex]

Should be within a couple of weeks feels like ages since I played with a new pot!

Yeah Its been a long time.....not normally this disciplined but I knew the time would come....been so close over the years as well.

This was going to be mine but gave someone else the heads up instead that was looking

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iayqzflrvis

Then kept watching the video he made and got jelly LOL

[Chip]

Funny, you wanted and waited for the right "innie" ... I wanted and waited for the right "outie".

[Alex]

LOL yeah. I honestly had no idea how I held off this long. I got pick of the last six that Toru had before they went on sale but still held off. Very unlike me I must say as there's was some great ones in that batch including the one you bought!

I actually felt a little pressured as well over the last year as I'm convinced his work is going to get expensive soon. His stuff seems to sell insanely fast. And every vendor I've contacted says they can't buy enough.

[Puk]

LOL yeah. I honestly had no idea how I held off this long.

I just came back from a store here and wow they had some gorgeous Yamada Sou pieces, including a red kyusu, but not round like yours. I think my eyeballs fell out. Seeing and handling things in-person really hurts. Good investment there.

[Alex]

LOL yeah. I honestly had no idea how I held off this long.

I just came back from a store here and wow they had some gorgeous Yamada Sou pieces, including a red kyusu, but not round like yours. I think my eyeballs fell out. Seeing and handling things in-person really hurts. Good investment there.

Must be so nice to examine stuff in person. I wouldn't be able to contain myself in a teaware store.

[Alex]

Damn! sadly I got the pot and have already sent it back. The clay has large particles in it and one right on the tip edge of the spout had fallen off leaving a little gap. Had this been anywhere else on the pot I wouldnt have cared at all but right on the spout tip it was annoying at first sight.....rather then try and get over it I sent it back. The vendor being very understanding.



Oh well....it wasn't meant to be!

[Teaism]

Damn! sadly I got the pot and have already sent it back. The clay has large particles in it and one right on the tip edge of the spout had fallen off leaving a little gap. Had this been anywhere else on the pot I wouldnt have cared at all but right on the spout tip it was annoying at first sight.....rather then try and get over it I sent it back. The vendor being very understanding.



Oh well....it wasn't meant to be!

Hi Alex,

So sad to hear the news. Not to worry, since you waited for so long there are still plenty of opportunities. Yamada is still young and experimenting and there are still a lot of rooms for his future refinement.

I own a few dozens of kyusu and did a lot experiments with them often and some of them can brew much better than Yixing pots but like all pots, they have their advantage and disadvantages.

I am fending off my itchy fingers from the "add to cart button" for years for those great artist like Yohei and ultimately of course Yamada grandfather's, Jozan Yamada III, pieces. Those earlier pieces clay looks like Yixing clay and historically Japan imported Yixing clay from China, so it is would be very interesting studies. But then again, the prices are in tandem to rarity of the great pieces.

So the wait continues....

Anyway, hope you find another nice kyusu soon.


Cheers!

[Alex]

Thanks Teaism.....sage words as always

Well as it happens I missed out on being disappointed by going on to Hojo's website the following day and ordering a Wanatabe Tozo Mumyoi Joaka clay pot. So that will satisfy my lush for a new play thing it was another artist I've long wanted to try. And I managed to score one of the round 250ml ones before they were all snapped up!



Just got my first Yukamashi in the post today! this will cheer me up! oh wait............

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[Chip]

Bad streak, Alex. Better luck next time!

The Yamada Shudei Kyusu do have larger particles in the clay which is common from this family and adds to the charm and really unique feel ... they are like grippers, it is virtually impossible to drop one. Coincidentally, I believe my one Yamada Shudei even has a particle at the mouth of the spout but is quite secure ... though I do leave it alone.

EDIT: I had not finalized my order since as I usually do, I wanted to add another item or two to the order for shipping purposes. In addition to the shudei Yamada Sou, I added a Hokujo ... or two that Toru just added. A really nice Mogake and Mayake.

[Chip]

LOL yeah. I honestly had no idea how I held off this long.

I just came back from a store here and wow they had some gorgeous Yamada Sou pieces, including a red kyusu, but not round like yours. I think my eyeballs fell out. Seeing and handling things in-person really hurts. Good investment there.

Must be so nice to examine stuff in person. I wouldn't be able to contain myself in a teaware store.

I know I shared this on TeaChat likely years ago ... but this reminds me of my first visit to the Ito-En store before it closed. Up to this point, I had only seen mass produced and rather junky and large Kyusu (this was before we had the resources we have at our fingertips today).

I saw a wall of pots ... to my excitement, they had Kyusu covering the entire wall setting on glass shelves under spotlights!!! I walked over not knowing what a good kyusu that was well crafted by an artisan even looked like. But was in awe. I imagine I looked hypnotized to an onlooker.

They had a bunch of shudei, tiny lil things I thought. The clay was rough, In hindsight, I am betting it was created by one of the Yamada, but not Yamada Sou due to the time frame.

I was not overly impressed with the rugged appearance and tiny size (what did I know, right?). Nevertheless, I picked it up, instinctively ... (must hold, touch, right?).

It is as light as a feather, I remember it almost seemed to jump and fly off the shelf as I picked it up which shocked me more than a bit. The clay seemed paper thin to make it this light (hmm, must be cheap to be so light, right?)

I did not see the price ... must be on the bottom, right?

I flipped it over, one handed, holding the lid with my thumb as I did with my cheapy kyusu many times as I poured.

What, OMG, it was around 400 USD I remember, my right hand holding the kyusu began to tremble, literally. I quickly brought my left hand up to assist the right hand and in a firm grasp I shakily set it back down on the now intimidating and very hard glass shelf.

And I stepped back a step ... and finally began to breath again.

Nothing like seeing a display of REAL kyusu for the first time, right?