Japanese Tea Ceremony Utensils Care
Daily care of Kyusu (急須)
Rinse the teapot with hot water without detergent. Scrub the outside of the teapot lightly with a soft cloth such as a sponge. After washing, turn the teapot upside down to dry so that the water drains out.
If you are worried about stains on a Kyusu (ceramic ware)
Ceramics have small invisible holes that absorb water and detergent, so try to avoid using detergent.Baking soda is a safe detergent because it is a natural material made from salt water. Add a little water to baking soda to make it into a glue-like substance, brush it on nets and teacups, and rinse with hot water. (It has no odor and can be used immediately.) If you are concerned about tea leaves in the tea strainer, scrub gently with a toothbrush.
Once a week, put the tea leaves in boiling water and baking soda overnight, and scrub with a brush the next day. Or, fill a large pot with hot water, add 2 tablespoons of baking soda, and boil over low heat for 10 to 20 minutes.
If the porcelain is not absorbent, you can use it without worrying about detergent.
After soaking, scrub gently with a toothbrush or sponge and rinse thoroughly to remove any lingering odors. Some materials may not be suitable for this purpose, so please check with the manufacturer.
Daily care of teacups and mugs
Depending on the type of porcelain and the way it is baked, gently scrub the area around and in contact with the mouth with a sponge containing detergent and rinse well with warm water.
How to choose a teacup
Tea is not only for quenching thirst, but also for enjoying time and space through tea. If you want to get a little more into it, a casual tea party with tea and tea utensils is also fun. Please enjoy a tea time that suits you.
A yunomi (湯呑み) is a tea utensil that you hold directly to your mouth when drinking tea. A long, cylindrical teacup allows you to pour a large amount of tea at once, making it perfect for enjoying tea at home.
When choosing a teacup, consider its thickness. Thinner teacups are lighter and easier to hold, while thicker ones keep the tea cooler. Thinner teapots allow you to feel the temperature of the tea, but they also tend to cool easily.
Gyokuro and premium Sencha teas, which are brewed at low temperatures, are said to work best in thin cups because the heat is gently transferred to your hand. On the other hand, if you want to drink a lot of hot tea, a thick ceramic teapot is best.
If you brew tea frequently, you may not mind, but if you brew a lot of tea at once, a thicker teacup that does not get cold easily is better.
