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Honestly I tend to just brew in whatever kyusu I am in the mood to use. I really don't think my taste buds are discerning enough to start distinguishing between clay types. Same boat here, there is a difference but I can't really discern myself. The tea should speak for itself, better quality leave...

For anyone planning to purchase from Thes-Du-Japon, make sure you change the language to Japanese (top right corner of the webpage). It will convert the currency to Japanese Yen, and with current USDJPY exchange rates, you'd be saving some money even with credit card conversion fees. I believe you c...

I hope that doesn't happen to me... although I am guilty of adding items to my cart but never to check them out because the shipping always is so expensive if I don't order in bulk! Seeing that you're in Singapore, I think the shipping from JP to SG shouldn't be too costly. TDJ provides many shippi...

Don't know too much about this little guy! ./download/file.php?id=13438 ./download/file.php?id=13437 ./download/file.php?id=13436 ./download/file.php?id=13435 ./download/file.php?id=13434 That's a unique looking spout for a kyusu of that size! How does it pour? Honestly it looks pretty old for a pi...

Does anyone know when Thes du Japon usually posts their shincha? I cannot provide you with dates, but monitoring the website every few days is not too much of a burden. My main issue in the last couple of years has been that not all teas are available at the same time, some teas run out quickly, an...

chillian12 Yes, I too prefer old school kyusu to shibo or houhin. I like a handle to grip, shibo seems similar to Chinese gaiwan with lid. I don’t want fingers to burn if I can avoid it, so handle just makes more sense to me, personally. For same reason I prefer yixing to gaiwan. I don’t know what ...

nice pot chillian12 - I feel like I always see that mogake effect on grey or light colored clays and it never really worked for me - but over a deep red clay like I think it looks fantastic. Speaking of Hokujo and son... They are making their own clay blend, correct? Are they both using the same cl...

chillian12 Since you seem partial to Hokujo and son Kohokujo, in bottom batch of teapots below, see two teapots at right. While not flat, these are more ovular shaped, with wider lids and in your size preference. http://www.tokoname.or.jp/teapot/maker_profile/hokujo/ Now here is a very flat Kohokuj...

100% agree …I suspect most sencha blends released later in the year end up using the first few harvests. I cannot confirm that one way or the other. Each season has unique qualities. It is worth noting that Thés du Japon does not sell blends. They stand alone in a market full of blends. Appreciate ...

chillian12 ha, I’ve looked at one too many kyusu I think. :lol: Partly body as I know Hokujo has been producing this back handle style as of late, and this particular no dip spout seems to only be done on these higher end pots. Also each artist tends to have unique mogake markings from one another....

Haha, I love fresh green shincha. In season, I wake up imagining the aroma, like an elixir calling me. I have really enjoy O-Cha ’s shincha, when available MiteCha out of Mie, Maiko and Kaburagien too. I still have a shincha pillow that has such a sweet aroma after several years :) A search in Gree...

Unpopular opinion: shincha is overrated. It's like drinking wine that hasn't rested or aged correctly. You'll often find that shincha tastes better after 4-6 months or refrigerated rest. If your interest in shincha is to celebrate the seasonality of sencha a la Beaujolais nouveau, that's great. If ...

Hey everyone! With 2023 Japanese Shincha harvest coming in a couple of months - I wanted to check in with the tea community here on recommendations for Shincha, mainly what tea farms/producers should I be looking out for (apart from the big producers like Horii Shichimeien and Marukyu Koyamaen), any...

Nice pickup chillian12 ! I too like the look of burned mogake against red of shudei. A Hokujo by the look of it. Will you dedicate to gyokuro or cross brew with sencha? From what I recall, there are those in community who like his clay’s effect on Taiwanese oolongs in particular. If his work, perha...

It has a nice shape. I've always liked the look of seaweed on kyusu. That was one of the reasons why I got it, the shape is more an ode to Chinese tea ware (though I’m not sure the exact inspiration if any). Since historically Tokoname potters seemed to have taken inspiration from the Chinese way b...