Inexpensive small porcelain or glazed clay kyusu (or houhin)

[Cifer]

Hello everyone,

first off, here is what I am looking for:

- kyusu (houhin acceptable, changed the title accordingly)

- about 100 ml usable volume, so about 150 max volume

- neutral material which doesn't alter taste or "store" the taste of other teas, so ideally porcelain or glazed clay (tokoname preferred)

- removable/replaceable stainless steel strainer in front of the spout

- 50 euros max, including shipping, the cheaper the better; if it's sent from outside the EU, 19% import tax should be included in the price

- made in Japan

- ideally sold by a store in the EU

Please let me know of any kyusu which fulfill at least most of my requirements.

Thanks a lot!

[Darbotek]

I’ve only used a stainless filter in a Hario teapot for western brewing and haven’t noticed anything off. But for a nice kyusu I wouldn’t want one, it would be one be more thing to clean and worry about. I don’t mind a little sediment in my tea!

I’m in the US, so I can’t be too specific, but I feel like it will be hard to find what you are looking for. Maybe pick 75% of your requirements (i.e. 50 EUR, in the EU, but made in China)

If you want to increase your budget a little bit, I would go for this

https://www.sazentea.com/en/products/p3 ... hohin.html

[Cifer]

Thanks for the reply!

Yes, it is indeed difficult, although am not looking for a "nice" kyusu, just something to test teas in without changing their flavor. It wouldn't even have to be a kyusu, anything with a fine filter and about 100 ml usable volume would do.

I already have a houhin like the one you linked, but the filter isn't nearly fine enough for fukamushi sencha, making it useless for the purpose of testing a variety of teas. I also don't mind having leaves in my cup, but for some types of tea you simply need the fine stainless steel, even a sasame with the proper pouring technique won't deliver good results. I could settle for a houhin with about 150 very fine holes instead of the usual approximately 40 holes the one I have has (the only you linked has even fewer), but I haven't found one made of porcelain or at least glazed clay yet. One with a metal strainer would be ideal, but I think tezumi doesn't sell it anymore.

[nasalfrog]

Might be too large for your needs, but Obubu sells this houhin:

https://obubutea.com/shop/teaware/japa ... ot-houhin/

[pedant]

i'm in the US and am looking for something similar as a gift for a friend who is interested in japanese tea and just starting out.

this is what i've found so far:

https://rishi-tea.com/teapots/porcelain ... uro-teapot

[Cifer]

Thanks a lot for the answers!

I already have a houhin like the second one linked, with big holes directly in the porcelain. What I'd like is one with smaller holes or a metal filter only covering the spout. The one linked above with a metal filter cutting across the pot is no good in my opinion because the leaves only have 70% of the room to unfold they should have.
Sadly I can't find porcelain or glazed ceramic ones with a small filter only in front of the spout, only unclazed ceramic ones.

[Cifer]

I actually found one just like I want on Maiko's store: https://maikotea.jp/product/gyokuro-tea ... bfe8c45e1c

Sadly the shipping would cost 33 Euros, and for 60 euros I would rather buy something else than a cheap houhin worth about 20

[Victoria]

I actually found one just like I want on Maiko's store: https://maikotea.jp/product/gyokuro-tea ... bfe8c45e1c

Sadly the shipping would cost 33 Euros, and for 60 euros I would rather buy something else than a cheap houhin worth about 20

I find those modern walled SS screen filters are not the easiest to clean, and detract from the pure aesthetic found in kyusu/houhin made of one material, like porcelain, stoneware, shudei.. . Wide large sesame filters filter out fuka very well and prevent clogging. Have you looked on eBay Antiques/Asian Antiques/Japan -teapot,houhin,hohin…. I’m sure there are sellers located in EU. With patience and saved searches, I have found over the years some great finds there at reasonable prices.

[Cifer]

I do prefer teapots of one material as well, but from a practical point of view steel mesh is simply so much better. The houhin I linked is simply ugly, can't deny that. But it's something I'd like to have in addition to the normal houhin I have.

I know that with patience I will be able to find everything I want in Europe sooner or later, and for most things that is okay. I'm sure in 2-3 months the German store I usually buy from will have restocked many nice kyusu. But I really want something glazed or porcelain of a small size right now, so I'm trying to figure out an acceptable solution.