Tokoname vs banko

[coconut]

Has anyone brewed green tea in banko and tokoname and compare the taste? Any difference? I'm just debating whether to purchase a banko or tokoname for my sencha

Thanks

[olivierco]

You already started a similar topic here:


http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=11103

I'm wondering...does banko clay really make a difference in brewing japanese greens??

[Tead Off]

Has anyone brewed green tea in banko and tokoname and compare the taste? Any difference? I'm just debating whether to purchase a banko or tokoname for my sencha

Thanks

Who are you debating with? And, who is the debator? Are conclusions really conclusions?

[Jayaratna]

You already started a similar topic here:


http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=11103

I'm wondering...does banko clay really make a difference in brewing japanese greens??

He did not ask the same question, IMHO.

[olivierco]

He did not ask the same question, IMHO.

There are many answers to his "new" question in the old topic though.

[Jayaratna]

He did not ask the same question, IMHO.

There are many answers to his "new" question in the old topic though.

I did not read the whole topic (and I am not going to do now). It looks like there was a lot of discussion about banko...

[Oni]

Both ceramic regions produce famous pottery, it really depends on the master and the material and technique used, some are better than the other, aestetically both regions produce a huge variety of teaware and other pottery, banko ceramic is a bit more rare in the sense that less is produced than tokoname. Both for tokoname and banko regions have mass produced and masterfully handmade teaware, tokoname uses more red clay, banko purple clay, purple clay banko made by Tachi Masaki or Jitsuzan reduce astringency from sencha.

[britt]

purple clay banko made by Tachi Masaki or Jitsuzan reduce astringency from sencha.

I have found that my purple clay Banko kyusu made by another craftsmen has the same affect (reducing astringency).

[Oni]

Hi Britt, long time no see... As I have seen most banko teapots seem to be made with the same material and reduction furnace, besides the teaware in the well known vendors I have seen many beautiful banko at japanese sites.

[tingjunkie]

Hi Britt, long time no see... As I have seen most banko teapots seem to be made with the same material and reduction furnace, besides the teaware in the well known vendors I have seen many beautiful banko at japanese sites.

This poses an interesting question... Is all banko clay of the same/similar quality? Of course there is a huge difference in craftsmanship between makers, but looks aside, will a cheap banko pot effect tea the same way as a more expensive one? Does anyone own both and care to offer a comparison?

With all the fretting over Yixing we do, it would be quite comforting to know that we wouldn't need to spend the same amount of effort and research to get a decent pot for green tea! Sadly, I think I can already anticipate the answer.

[oldmanteapot]

After reading good reviews on how tokoname and banko teapots enhances Green Tea and how they could also positively affect Chinese tea, I recently took my maiden step and bought one tokoname and one banko kyusu.

After using both teapots for several weeks, here's my limited review as my knowledge and exposure to tokoname and banko is shallow. Since I don't drink a whole lot of Green Tea, I brewed it on my Pu. Here are my findings.

The Tokoname Kyusu has an amazing ability to smoothen the broth and reduce the astringency of most Pu, especially young Sheng. But it has also absorbed a whole lot of taste and aroma from Shu, both young and aged. Though it smoothens out the broth a lot, the trade-off is at the moment a little too contrasting for me. I'm still trying to find the right match for my Tokoname. I was told Tokoname brews Sencha very well.

The Banko Kyusu is not far behind the Tokoname, though the broth was as smooth as the brew from the Tokoname, the taste and aroma from Shu brewed in the Banko is more prevalent than from the Tokomake.

Both kyusu, when compared to the Yixing that I normally use, they seem to excel in the area of the smoothness of the broth, but that's where it stops. The aroma, taste, huigan and aftertaste are all absorbed or rounded off over and over again. This could just be a preliminary finding and could improve over time.

I'm trying to use both teapots more regularly to see if there are marked improvements over time.

Cheers!!

[Chip]

Interesting post OMT.

Back to the original question though, if one is brewing a very good sencha or gyokuro, any ole pot should do. I will try a banko one day soon I hope, but I really do not need my tea to be altered one way or the other by the pot's clay since I have full confidence in the tea suppliers generally.

I think water on the other hand is so much more important to bringing out the best in a tea.

Oni, not to be a wise azz, but if you like Horaido so much, why would you need a banko to "improve" the tea?

Having said all that, I used to have my original Tokoname kyusu that I used for 5 or more years quite literally non stop. Every tea seemed sweeter after so much use, but I would not say better since every tea had this supplimental sweetness, they therefore tended to lack differenciation, or at least diminished.

[oldmanteapot]

I really do not need my tea to be altered one way or the other by the pot's clay since I have full confidence in the tea suppliers generally.

I'm glad to hear that. Having a trust worthy and reliable, most importantly honest supplier is as good as owning a rare gem these days. I'm fortunate of know a small handful of them

I think water on the other hand is so much more important to bringing out the best in a tea.

I agree with you completely.

Every tea seemed sweeter after so much use, but I would not say better since every tea had this supplimental sweetness, they therefore tended to lack differenciation, or at least diminished.

Yeah... there are times, perceived improvements remains as they are... perceived. Being human, we tend to "justify" our purchase by convincing ourselves that there are improvements my means of cognitive dissonance. I'm not discounting the fact that there are improvements, but for some... some remote cases... improvements are merely perceived

Cheers!

[olivierco]

Interesting post OMT.

Back to the original question though, if one is brewing a very good sencha or gyokuro, any ole pot should do. I will try a banko one day soon I hope, but I really do not need my tea to be altered one way or the other by the pot's clay since I have full confidence in the tea suppliers generally.

I think water on the other hand is so much more important to bringing out the best in a tea.

Oni, not to be a wise azz, but if you like Horaido so much, why would you need a banko to "improve" the tea?

+1

[Oni]

I first noticed on www.japantea.com , that they had banko teapots, after that I saw that the owner at horaido used smal banko houhins and tetsubin for gyokuro, after that I stumbled on Hojotea, and finally I decided to buy a banko, next year I wil buy a banko mini 60-80 ml houhin from Horaido, and I will buy a tetsubin too, although this was this years plan, but I spent the money on a new pc...
Anyway the effect of the tetsubin is what I most curious to find out.