Why is there a hole in the lid of my kyusu?

[JRS22]

I'm making a teapot in pottery class. Pots #1 and #2 are on display but pot #3 is fully functional and is in my tea cabinet ready for regular use. My store-bought pots each have a little hole in the lid. Does anyone know what purpose it serves? I might be able to make a hole in the lid of pot #4 next week if it's important.

[Pentox]

It's to let air in when you pour. Otherwise you might end up with an almost airtight seal on the pot and the water won't stream out. If you don't have a hole in the lid air will have to come up through the spout like air bubbling up in a bottle of water in a water cooler.

[scruffmcgruff]

It allows air to flow into the pot as tea flows out. Think of pouring soda out of a 2 liter bottle-- if you try to pour it quickly, it doesn't flow in one solid stream, but rather "hiccups" a bit as air must fill the void left by the liquid that was poured out (unless you squeeze the bottle, but you can't really squeeze a teapot). If you poke a big enough hole in the end of that bottle though, it will flow out much more quickly and smoothly.

[JustinW]

A well designed teapot will not pour when the hole is plugged up.

[JRS22]

I'll check with my teacher about the feasibility of adding a hole but I doubt if the lid on my teapot will be airtight. That's probably why the lack of a hole on the lid of teapot #3 doesn't seem to matter.

I do hand building, not wheel building, so perfection is not a real option. Still, the teapots work and I enjoy using them.

[Chip]

BTW, the hole is designed to be on the spout side of the lid knob. So a line drawn from the knob to the spout tip would pass right through the middle of this hole.

[JRS22]

So when I put the lid on my Den's kyusu I should take care to line up the hole properly...

I'm probably not going to put a knob on my teapot, but I did carve a pattern in the lid that "points" the lid to the best fit. I can use that to locate the hole if I make one.

[Salsero]

BTW, the hole is designed to be on the spout side of the lid knob. So a line drawn from the knob to the spout tip would pass right through the middle of this hole.

OMGosh, I always thought it was just the opposite! Thanks.

I'm probably not going to put a knob on my teapot

How can you remove the cover without a knob?

[shogun89]

Get a bottle of water dump it upside down, and stick a knife in the bottom and pull it out. Thats why the hole is there, otherwise you have a vacuum.

[Chip]

BTW, the hole is designed to be on the spout side of the lid knob. So a line drawn from the knob to the spout tip would pass right through the middle of this hole.

OMGosh, I always thought it was just the opposite! Thanks.

Chamekke can certainly attest to the fact that the Japanese are really into alignment, I personally happen to love this aspect of Japanese and tea. For instance, if you check out every Washi canister, the patterns match up perfectly when the lid is aligned perfectly.

This is how I came to this understanding about kyusu holes. I have 3 in which the pattern on the lid and pot match up perfectly in one and only one position, with the hole directly between the knob and the spout, perfectly lined up. Not kinda, or close to, but perfectly. This is no accident.

Of course, my AR aka structured personality has ever since lined this up perfectly each time I brew, and after drying.

Kyusu are pretty amazing pots, imho. You can generally stand a good one on its handle indicating good balance. The lid forms this great vacuum as moisture condenses around the lid seal forming an incredibly cohesive pot ... and of course the "cover the hole" when pouring test. You gotta love a good kyusu.

[Salsero]

I have only one pot where the design sort of matters and another where alignment might provide some insight into the designer's thought. The others are just very symmetrical.

Until today, I had reasoned that the hole should be as far as possible from the spout to avoid being blocked when you pour. Thanks for straightening me out.

[Herb_Master]

BTW, the hole is designed to be on the spout side of the lid knob. So a line drawn from the knob to the spout tip would pass right through the middle of this hole.

mmmmn

On most of my yixings the hole is IN the knob or very close to it???

[chingwa]

that's interesting. I usually put the hole on the other side though, so that when I pour the steam doesn't come out of the hole and burn my thumb which is pressing down on the knob...

[scruffmcgruff]

BTW, the hole is designed to be on the spout side of the lid knob. So a line drawn from the knob to the spout tip would pass right through the middle of this hole.

mmmmn

On most of my yixings the hole is IN the knob or very close to it???

I'm pretty sure Chip is just referring to kyuusu. I don't think the position of the knob makes a difference functionally, just aesthetically.

[chamekke]

Chamekke can certainly attest to the fact that the Japanese are really into alignment, I personally happen to love this aspect of Japanese and tea. For instance, if you check out every Washi canister, the patterns match up perfectly when the lid is aligned perfectly.

As a principle, that's definitely true - but I hadn't known this little tidbit about the vent-hole alignment. Thanks!