Tea Ware

There is all kinds of different japanese and chinese Tea ware. Each of it perfect for sepcial teas and brewing techniques. I want to give you a short introduction to the most popular ones.

Japanese Tea Ware:

Kyusu – a traditional japanese Teapot, with sidehandle, built-in strainer (clay or stainless-steel). Ideal for brewing loose japanese green Teas such as Senchas, Gyokuros, Houjichas…

Kyūsu (or kyuusu), is a general term for Japanese teapots, but commonly refers to a specific form of pot with a side handle and internal screen to filter leaf at the base of the spout. Technically, side-handled kyūsu are referred to as “yokode kyūsu,” and rear-handled kyūsu are known as “ushirode kyūsu.” However, the former style seems to be much more common than the latter, and thus the general term kyūsu is conventionally understood to refer to yokode kyūsu. (quote from wikicha.com)

Chawan – A chawan (茶碗) is a bowl used for preparing and drinking matcha (powdered green tea) in Japanese tea ceremonies. In Japan, “chawan” also is the standard term for bowls for rice. If it is necessary to distinguish between them, bowls for rice are called gohan chawan (usually pronounced gohan-jawan), while the ones for use in chanoyu are called matcha chawan (matcha-jawan). The handle-less cups used fordrinking regular course steeped tea are generally referred to as yunomi (lit., cups for hot water), while the small porcelain cups used for fine-quality steeped green tea are often distinguished as senchawan. When the word chawan stands alone, it is normally prefixed with the honorific o-.

 There are many types of chawan used in the tea ceremony, and the choice of their use depends upon many  considerations. (quote: wikipedia.org)

 

Chinese Tea Ware:

Yixing Teapot – Yixing Teapots are most common in China. Used for the preparation of Green Teas, Oolongs and Pu Erhs.

Yixing pots are from Yixing county in Jiangsu province, China. They are made using a clay from the local Huanglong Mountain (literally Yellow Dragon mountain). When fired, they are usually brown or purple in color, although various other colors are possible depending on the composition of the clay, firing temperatures, and other variables. Because of the predominance of dark brown or purple colors, such pots are also regularly called purple clay (zisha) teapots.There are various theories as to why pots made with Yixing clay are particularly suited to tea making. Some of these attributes include good heat retention, minerals in the clay softening and changing the water, the porosity of the clay being an aid to tea making and, over time, “seasons” in a way that adds to the flavor of the tea, etc.Yixing pots were first made during the Ming dynasty. As tea consumption moved from the use of powdered tea to full-leaf teas, a different kind of vessel was required to brew the tea. By the mid-Ming Yixing pots were already well renowned as particularly suitable for making tea, and famous artisans such as Shi Dabin were well known about tea aficionados. Today, Yixing pots are as much a utensil for making tea as collector’s item, and is produced in large numbers and wide variation of quality, ranging from the basic, indsutrially made pots to those crafted by famous artisans. (quote: wikicha.com)

Gaiwan - Famous chinese Teacup with lid.

“Gaiwan” (a.k.a. “gaibei”, also romanized as “guywan”) roughly translates to “lidded bowl/cup.” A gaiwan is a two- or three-part tea brewing vessel of Chinese origin. A three-part gaiwan (the most common) will consist of a saucer, a cup, and a lid. A two-part gaiwan will not have a saucer.