den's premium sencha teapot

[inspectoring]

Here is the link to it - http://www.denstea.com/index.php?main_p ... th=273_145

I would be grateful if anyone has real pictures of this pot? Does it have a picture of the baby/man/monk that is present on the cups?

Here is the link to the cup.
http://www.denstea.com/index.php?main_p ... th=273_146


Also - for the price - is this a good quality pot?

Thanks guys.

[Chip]

Yes, it does have "Densu" (I think that is the name of the logo) on the side and is not overtly conspicuous. The Kanji for tea on the lid is much more noticeable. It is a really nice kyusu.

I would not use it for fukamushi though. There are better screens for deep steamed sencha. But for gyokuro or light steamed sencha, it is great.

[PolyhymnianMuse]

IMO, if I were looking to spend ~$50 on a kyusu I would probably look somewhere else unless there is just something about the one from dens that is appealing.

I like the $19 ones they have and will purchase one of them for sure, if not both of them.

[Chip]

IMO, if I were looking to spend ~$50 on a kyusu I would probably look somewhere else unless there is just something about the one from dens that is appealing.

I like the $19 ones they have and will purchase one of them for sure, if not both of them.

Funny you mention the 2 very differently priced kyusu. I was comparing them earlier. They are as different as night and day. The inexpensive pot has a glossy commercial glaze and is very heavy, perhaps cumbersome especially after handling the much higher quality premium pot. As I pour, I feel the lid bounce around and know it would slide right off if I lifted my firm pressure on it. It is still a decent value at <20 dollars.

The premium pot feels beautiful in hand, in function. It is very light weight, it glides verses being carried along. The glaze is extra fine, I could be fooled into believing it was not glazed. The finish is smooth and striking, not garish or commercial. The clay is white btw, a nice touch. The lid fits perfectly, forms a bond as I pour. I feel the cohesion and sense they are joined during pouring. I feel very secure in the pour for several of these reasons.

It comes down to feel, the premium feels really great. I have 7 kyusu and rate this near the top. I use it for my best asamushi/light steamed sencha. I would not hesitate to use if for gyokuro either since it is smaller as well, holding 5-5.5 ounces (listed as 6)

I am partial to white or light kyusu, having the comparably priced Kikumaru from Rishi.

There are much pricier kyusu, and cheaper, but I love the Premium white kyusu from Den's. I think it is "value priced" and worth every penny.

[chamekke]

Yes, it does have "Densu" (I think that is the name of the logo) on the side and is not overtly conspicuous.

He's called Denchan (or sometimes Den-chan, with a hyphen). Den's Tea sells a small number of items with his figure, e.g. this plush doll:
http://www.denstea.com/index.php?main_p ... th=276_303

Denchan is actually the mascot of the parent company, Shirakata Denshiro Shoten, Inc. (http://www.shirakata.co.jp), and there he seems to be a much bigger deal:
https://www.shirakata.co.jp/index.php?m ... ex&cPath=9

[PolyhymnianMuse]

Maybe Ill have to spring for the premium one myself than

Would there be any problem using it for fuka and the like aswell as regular sencha?

[Grubby]

Chip > Are you sure the 50$ pot isn't actually UNGLAZED?
Look here:
http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?t=3503

I was wondering if my Tokoname was glazed or not, and this post convinced me it wasn't. Even though it looks like a glaze its apparently a part of the firing proces.

Personally i would definitely prefer the 50$ one over the 20$ one. The infusor alone is a big factor. The 50$ has a ceramic screen, while the others seem to have a metallic screen. I had a tokoname with metallic screen, the metallic screen got tainted fairly quickly and was impossible to clense. Im sure it didn't have a BIG impact on the taste of the tea, but its still kind of a shame to have a good teapot "tainted" in this way.

Edit:
Ah i just found some more info!


Q: I heard that you fire kyusu with the lid on.

A. Yes.

Q: How come they do not stick together?

A. There is a special kind of clay to set them apart. If we fired them together as they were, they would stick together as a matter of course. So in order to prevent that, we place a special clay between them, like a sandwich.
http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/yamada-e ... rview.html

So THIS is why you can often see something like a layer of glaze stopping at the area where the lid goes on. Its actually NOT glaze, but simply because the teapot wasn't fired here!
So if you have a fine "glaze" detectable here, its probably not glazed!!
To me this is definitely good info since i prefer unglazed teapot.

Edit2: Hm its seems some of them actually ARE glazed. So i gues you can't tell unles youre expert

[Salsero]

Chip's description tempts me to order one myself, except I really have a strong preference for the obi ami strainer. It works so much better for heavily steamed sencha ... actually, for everything. I do get a sort of unpleasant image that the teapot is wearing orthodontic braces, but I get over it.

[Chip]

Chubby, in hand it is clear where the glaze ends and the unglazed bottom begins.

The glaze has a really nice fine matte finish, looks classy and it is not a thick heavy looking glaze. Looking at it, the glaze gives me an impression of lightness.

Sal, I agree, I use SS screens for heavier steamed sencha as well. This would be a mess with fukamushi. In fact, only 2 of my 7 kyusu are samame.

Chamekke, thanx for the name clarification. At the Expo, he had the full size version. I thought the mascot would bother me on the pot, and it did when I first saw the pot months ago. But the mascot has endeared itself to me I guess. I actually do not notice it. The Kanji for "tea" is all I see.

[Space Samurai]

If you're going to spend that much money, I second the suggestion for Rishi's kikumaru. That is one well made pot.

[Chip]

If you're going to spend that much money, I second the suggestion for Rishi's kikumaru. That is one well made pot.

Having both of them, I can't argue with you. And no glaze.

I like the little glaze of the Den's, prevents clutzy little chips, which Chip does.

[Dr. Eel]

yes, i have rishi's fukugata, which was discussed above. I love it and have been using it pretty heavily now for awhile. I'm thinking about the kikumaru myself, i really am attracted to the rounder design and natural white clay, and i assume that as it's $20 more, it is probably of higher quality than the fukugata.

[PolyhymnianMuse]

Since this is somewhat on topic, does anyone have any experience with the kyusus from o-cha? Some of them are really nice and they are priced quite nice but how are they quality wise?

[Chip]

Since this is somewhat on topic, does anyone have any experience with the kyusus from o-cha? Some of them are really nice and they are priced quite nice but how are they quality wise?

Kevin is all about sourcing quality tea. He recently made a change in how he sells kyusu. He used to have a "partner" in the USA who did all the sourcing and selling of kyusu and some other teaware sold through O-Cha.com. Now he sells it direct.

Judging how he sources tea, I am sure he sources quality teaware as well. I am looking at the Japanese Maple leaf one currently.

If anything, I would like to see more selection in kyusu and teacups.

[chamekke]

Chamekke, thanx for the name clarification. At the Expo, he had the full size version. I thought the mascot would bother me on the pot, and it did when I first saw the pot months ago. But the mascot has endeared itself to me I guess. I actually do not notice it. The Kanji for "tea" is all I see.

Just to digress a bit more, then...

I've never heard an explanation of "Denchan", but I'm assuming he's meant to be some kind of karako figure. Karako is the Japanese word for "Chinese child", and the karako is an idealized, fabled Chinese child figure much used in Japanese art - always very round and fat, quite infantile in fact, and usually shown innocently playing with toys, puppies, or other children.

Example of obi with karako design:


P.S. Anyone else seen Wall-E recently?