Japanese Teaware

[acdidion]

Hey teachatters,

I haven't been on here in a couple of months, I've been busy transfering schools and moving and settling in a new town. I just got a new job though and I finally have some money for some new teaware. I don't really know where to start with Japanese teaware though. I know I want a kyusu for sencha and a separate pot for genmaicha because it stinks up all my teapots. I guess I was wondering if i need a separate teapot for all the types of Japanese tea I drink? I am in college and I am pretty broke, so I am on a budget and I can't buy a lot of teaware, but I was wondering what some of your think are essentials.

[Margules]

If you go with something glazed, you should be able to use it for a variety of teas without having to worry too much about flavours or scents lingering.

Den's has a variety of glazed tokoname kyusu available for $19, and they seem to be of pretty decent quality, especially at that price. I've had their "Shincha Teapot" for a while now, and used it to brew all sorts of weird stuff without any major problems.

I'm sure other teachatters have more (possibly better) suggestions, but I thought I'd let you know what has worked for me.

[JBaymore]

acdidion,

First, saying that every "generality" is always wrong when looking at certain specifics.......

Unless you are serious about "collecting" Japanese work specifically for reasons other that what ends up in the cup, if you are seriously on a budget, you might want to consider staying with more domestic wares rather than Japanese wares for tea. The good Japanese stuff tends to be expensive. And the cheaper more commercial imports are not really any "better" in general than any other wares you find in the low end price brackets.

Shop around.

best,

................john

[Margules]

I agree, provided you can find a reasonably sized inexpensive teapot. Unfortunately, most domestic commercial producers consider a "small" teapot to be somewhere in the 20oz range, which makes no sense when you are consuming quality leaf that should be steeped multiple times.

[Chip]

Hard to go wrong with the $20 Den's Kyusu-s which are shipped domestically. They are virtually bomb proof and you can pick up 2 and have a little variety. For a student on a budget, you really cannot go wrong.

I also have the "Shincha" version. Yeah, I have better, but this will likely outlive me. I currently use it mostly for when I visit family, etc. I use the box which keeps it safe when traveling and has room to spare for tea.

[Oni]

Buy a banko teaware for asamushi, a metal strainer tokoname for fukamushi and some cheaper tokoname for bancha, houhin for gyokuro, buy piece by piece not all in one order, try artisticnippon and Horaido, Hojo, these are the only places I would buy japanese teaware.

[Chip]

Yeah, on a student's tight budget?

Sometimes you just buy a cheap pot and brew.

20 bucks and change will get you into a kyusu! I use this pot, and recommend it for anyone looking for an inexpensive kyusu.

[AdamMY]

On a student budget the Dens Kyusu's are very hard to beat. But comparing me to my roommate, I drink mostly Chinese Teas with the occasional japanese green, and as I was told its very hard to pull off brewing the heavier steamed japanese teas in anything but a kyusu, I went with one from Dens.

But my roommate prefers Japanese greens so when he got a kyusu he went for a slightly fancier one.

So I'm in the camp put into it amount you can afford, while keeping in mind the amount you are likely to use it.

[Oni]

Try 70 $ for a good quality and do not buy a new one and use it for years, it is better this way, ask Horaido for Jitsuzan or Tachi Masaki teaware, it really changes your tea for the better.

[Oni]

These two kyusu are enough for sencha.