Ode to the Kyusu

Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:59 am

Shigaraki clay kyusu by different masters over the last 2 days with striking differences in results. See more in the topic "12 days of kyusu" for the low down.

Yesterday, Tachi Masaki from Hojo.

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Today, Aoyu kyusu by Yamada Sou.

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Fri Jan 04, 2019 1:47 pm

Amazing that Tachi Masaki’s rough textured kyusu, and Yamada Sou’s white glazed beautiful blue Aoyu kyusu are both Shigaraki sourced clays. Must be from different strata within the lake bed. Gorgeous pots.

Fri Jan 04, 2019 3:28 pm

Victoria wrote: ↑
Fri Jan 04, 2019 1:47 pm
Amazing that Tachi Masaki’s rough textured kyusu, and Yamada Sou’s white glazed beautiful blue Aoyu kyusu are both Shigaraki sourced clays. Must be from different strata within the lake bed. Gorgeous pots.

The first generation shiggy by Tachi (front and center) is also remarkably different from the 2 later generation shiggies by Tachi in the same photo by from a few years later.

Fri Jan 04, 2019 3:32 pm

... but what astounds me more than anything are the differences in flavor profiles between the Yamada Sou and the Tachi Masaki tested!

For the sencha tested, the Yamada Sou wins easily.

Sat Jan 05, 2019 12:21 am

Could it be the firing and glazing? I imagine that the Yamada has a much denser structure and lost quite a bit, if not all of its previous porosity.

Only by looking at it, it seems much smoother and sealed than the rough surface of the other.

Elise · Sat Jan 05, 2019 5:59 am

All the beautiful pictures in the recent posts pushed me to take pictures of the newly arrived kyusu by Tachi Masaki (next to a pot by Inge Nielsen on the first picture).

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Jo · Sat Jan 05, 2019 9:48 am

Elise wrote: ↑
Sat Jan 05, 2019 5:59 am
All the beautiful pictures in the recent posts pushed me to take pictures of the newly arrived kyusu by Tachi Masaki

Beautiful pot Elise, I really love the rough texture, enjoy it!

Sat Jan 05, 2019 3:22 pm

Bok wrote: ↑
Sat Jan 05, 2019 12:21 am
Could it be the firing and glazing? I imagine that the Yamada has a much denser structure and lost quite a bit, if not all of its previous porosity.

Only by looking at it, it seems much smoother and sealed than the rough surface of the other.

Or is it simply the clay? I wonder ...

Sat Jan 05, 2019 10:19 pm

Elise wrote: ↑
Sat Jan 05, 2019 5:59 am
All the beautiful pictures in the recent posts pushed me to take pictures of the newly arrived kyusu by Tachi Masaki (next to a pot by Inge Nielsen on the first picture).

Yeah, that texture is awesome. The black chips are also found on some of Hokujo’s nanban kyusu, @pedant has one. I can’t remember which minerals they are. How do you like Inge’s teapot, and which teas do you pair it with?

Sat Jan 05, 2019 11:11 pm

wow, is that from the latest hojo batch, @Elise?

it looks different than any other shiggy i've seen. neat.

Elise · Sun Jan 06, 2019 2:41 am

Yes it’s from one of the last batches found on Hojo Akira website. The shape is juste perfect.

Inge Nielsen’s pot it great too, I use it with puerh shu and I find it’s making really good tea.

swordofmytriumph · Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:10 pm

THEY’RE HERE!!!!!

Just discovered there was a photo limit.

Both pots are by Watanabe Tozo from Hojo.

This one is a 200ml Akitsu Mumyoi pot.

swordofmytriumph · Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:13 pm

This is the other one, a 150ml Nosaka pot.

I was so excited when the doorbell rang I fell halfway down the stairs* in my haste to get to the door before the mail carrier left (had to sign for it).

*no tea drinkers were harmed in the making of this post, I’m fine lol

Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:24 pm

The rough Nosaka pot by Watanabe Tozo looks awesome, love the texture. The lid knob is huge, to hold lid in place while pouring i guess you’ll need to apply pressure to the side of the knob. Will be interesting to hear if you find them very different in how they steep.

swordofmytriumph · Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:36 pm

Yeah, the Nosaka pot is gorgeous. I wasnt even sure what I was going to season it to when I bought it, just knew I had to have it, it’s such a work of art. I’m very excited. I’m going to try them both out with my high mountain oolong and see which one I like best for it. I already tried the mumyoi one, I couldn’t wait before boiling the pot (I’m supposed to do that, right?) lol patience is not my strong suit.

Ahem. Anyway...It. Was. Amazing. It really rounded out the tea, made the body thicker and more viscous, and brought the round, fruity quality of the Li Shan to the front (smacked me in the face with it actually). Also, it made the tea REALLY sweet. Like, over the top, “I could have sworn there was sugar in this if I didn’t know better” kind of sweet. Even my brother, who is a complete tea noob thought it tasted like I’d put sugar in it. He also said “woah” which is funny because in the past he has not been impressed with my Li Shan.

On the other hand, it did eat the higher registry floral and citrus notes as well as some of that “misty” quality that Li Shan has. Once the pot is properly seasoned after a while, will it stop “eating” those qualities? Lol I’m not experienced enough with clay pots to know.

Edit: it also increased the aftertaste as well as the body, I drank it half an hour ago and I can still taste the tea on my tongue and throat.