Baisao wrote: ↑Fri Mar 05, 2021 12:07 pm
McScooter wrote: ↑Fri Mar 05, 2021 10:46 am
For those of you who own wood-fired wares from Yamada So, Taisuke Shiraiwa, and others, how do you find the clay to generally affect sencha? I have read seemingly conflicting interpretations, ranging from virtually no influence (akin to porcelain), to making the water much sweeter (and I think someone like Toru @ AN may have affirmed this view). Is there variation from pot to pot even if the base clay is the same?
Sou's mayake contributes a very smooth texture to the tea and Taisuke's woodfired black pots are even more smoothing. Both remind me of vintage mumyoi. It's been a while since I have brewed in one of Taisuke's woodfired red pots so I cannot recall.
Sou and Emu's modern shudei has a piquant, forward texture on the tongue like most shudei (even hon shudei). It is porous and a bit muting, contrary to other shudei I have tried from the family. Some of Emu's earlier modern shudei is not as porous and resembles his father's in the character it lends to tea.
HTH
My experience in part parallels Baisao’s with the wood fired kyusu I have.
Depending on clay used in a wood fired kiln the experience can be pretty different. The most noticeable stand out one I have is an 80ml wood fired Jozan III that uses shigaraki like clay. I like using it with gyokuro because of its small size, low form, slightly porous clay, light ash exterior glaze, and wood firing. The inside is slightly porous, just perfect with Japanese greens. Second most noticeable stand out is a Yamada Sou wood and reduction fired shigaraki like 80ml kyusu. I use this one with yancha; it is thin, dense and because of size, form, clay and firing pairs perfectly with high roast yancha. Both aromatics and body come out nicely.
A few other reduction/wood fired Yamada Sou and Taisuke Shiraiwa kyusu I have I’m still trying to figure out. After firing these are not black, more dark brown inside and outside, and ever so slightly porous. They are all over 120ml so are fine with sencha, and lightly roasted oolongs as well. Can’t really say if there is any effect on water or tea, I’m still wondering about that. So far I don’t use them with highly aromatic teas, they seem to be more about body.
The shudei Yamada Sou I have is still slightly muting, this has not been the case with his father or grandfather’s shudei kyusu that I use. The shudei clay used by Sou needs to be broken in it seems.
Jozan III 80ml wood fired ash glaze shigaraki like clay w/ added mineral and rock particles (kaolin, silica, feldspar, mica, &/or quartz mineral chips).
![44649DA0-1EE9-48DD-82F2-3B24AFE61AF7.jpeg](./download/file.php?id=7967&sid=9d2fa27baa99edfdd45e1530dc642d59)
- 44649DA0-1EE9-48DD-82F2-3B24AFE61AF7.jpeg (56.69 KiB) Viewed 9247 times
![FBA3A4F4-CD3B-4050-94FB-6931EFFBE2CC.jpeg](./download/file.php?id=7974&sid=9d2fa27baa99edfdd45e1530dc642d59)
- FBA3A4F4-CD3B-4050-94FB-6931EFFBE2CC.jpeg (407.35 KiB) Viewed 9243 times
Yamada Sou 80ml wood and reduction fired shigiraki like clay w/ added mineral and rock particles (kaolin, silica, feldspar, mica, &/or quartz mineral chips), ash glaze.
![7F0CBDE2-430A-4F88-9B74-BAF34C4C74BA.jpeg](./download/file.php?id=7972&sid=9d2fa27baa99edfdd45e1530dc642d59)
- 7F0CBDE2-430A-4F88-9B74-BAF34C4C74BA.jpeg (503.84 KiB) Viewed 9243 times
Yamada Sou 160ml wood and reduction fired clay (unknown) w/ added mineral and rock particles (kaolin, silica, feldspar, mica, &/or quartz mineral chips), ash glaze
![82E4A6B9-4B2C-4F72-80E9-C2A0477E8780.jpeg](./download/file.php?id=7968&sid=9d2fa27baa99edfdd45e1530dc642d59)
- 82E4A6B9-4B2C-4F72-80E9-C2A0477E8780.jpeg (103.4 KiB) Viewed 9247 times
Yamada Sou 180ml wood and reduction fired shudei clay with ash and Ao (blue) glaze
![FA5BA95D-7356-4EF5-9E8E-AD3A21C85427.jpeg](./download/file.php?id=7971&sid=9d2fa27baa99edfdd45e1530dc642d59)
- FA5BA95D-7356-4EF5-9E8E-AD3A21C85427.jpeg (414.18 KiB) Viewed 9247 times
Taisuke Shiraiwa 240ml wood and reduction fired clay (unknown) with ash glaze
![EA3EE4B5-C4E0-4ABC-A68C-5C03782CF12F.jpeg](./download/file.php?id=7969&sid=9d2fa27baa99edfdd45e1530dc642d59)
- EA3EE4B5-C4E0-4ABC-A68C-5C03782CF12F.jpeg (246.07 KiB) Viewed 9247 times
Group of wood and reduction fired kyusu with ash glaze. Clockwise from upper left; Tilted Kyusu unknown maker 160ml , Taisuke Shiraiwa 240ml, lower right Yamada Sou 160ml, lower left Yamada Sou 80ml.
![2F71B2F4-E711-4F06-A2FC-1F5CC5906171.jpeg](./download/file.php?id=7970&sid=9d2fa27baa99edfdd45e1530dc642d59)
- 2F71B2F4-E711-4F06-A2FC-1F5CC5906171.jpeg (403.89 KiB) Viewed 9247 times