What is a Shiboridashi, Hohin, Gaiwan?

[pedant]

from another topic:

Is the height more or less the only difference between a shibo and houhin? Can both of them also be called an easy gaiwan?

The width to height ratio is typically higher on a shib. So yes, the shib is relatively wider and the houhin is relatively higher ... Typically.

The houhin typically has a round rim with a screen below the rim at the added spout. The lid covers the entire rim.

The shib typically has a spout as part of the rim, so the rim is not an absolute circle, and the lid does not cover the rim at the spout. The spout may have a "rake" or nothing at all.

You could call them a "gaiwanesque".

Chip explained it well, but i wanted to make it into a new topic and add pictures because it's something i've seen people ask before.

shiboridashi vs hohin? here is my take on it:

gaiwan/gaibei (盖碗/盖杯):

• a lidded cup with smooth/undefined, flared rim
• width:height ratio close to 1
• Chinese, not Japanese

shiboridashi (絞り出し):
typically:

• similar to a gaiwan but much flatter with a width:height ratio > 1
• the body has a spout -- sometimes with a rudimentary 'rake' filter added consisting of some lines scraped into the surface
• no defined rim for the lid to rest on

hohin/houhin/hobin (宝瓶):

• features a filtered spout built into the body
• unlike a gaiwan or shibo, the lid does not make up part of the canal through which liquid exits the pot
• lid rests on a defined rim

'easy gaiwan':
there is no single, unified 'easy gaiwan' design, but many of them are basically hohins.

[Baisao]

Great post. You should probably pin it so it doesn’t get burried.

[Chip]

Yes, great post!

[d.manuk]

The flatter body of the shiboridashi allows for tea to cool faster and the vessel to not heat up as much, so I think it's good for gyokuro.

[pedant]

i saw this piece today by Yoshiki MURATA:

yoshiki-1.jpg (8.02 KiB) Viewed 30130 times

yoshiki-2.jpg (9.5 KiB) Viewed 30130 times

he makes a lot of shibos in this style, and i was surprised to see that this one's a hohin.

[Chip]

i saw this piece today by Yoshiki MURATA ...


he makes a lot of shibos in this style, and i was surprised to see that this one's a hohin.

I have a few Yoshiki kyusu. I like his style.

This one seems to split hairs a bit, having some shib and some houhin features. I would still call it a houhin, flatter albiet.

But perhaps the artist can make the call.

[eon-pu]

A well crafted Japanese shiboridashi is a unique vessel and definitely worth the experience. Like others have stated, it has a significant edge with teas requiring low brewing temperature. The mechanics of pouring and filling are different enough to set it apart from other vessels as well.

One thing to keep in mind when purchasing your first shiboridashi is how the rim is constructed. Of course, aesthetics are important and you will want to pick one that feels right in your hand. But, personally, I really appreciate the ease of cleaning a "rimless" shiboridashi like the Hokujo below. It washes out effortlessly since there are no hidden corners or crevices to catch the tea leaves. For the same reason, it is perfect for appreciating the slow opening of tea leaves during the initial steeps.

[LeoFox]

This shibo is almost like a gaiwan

[faj]

This shibo is almost like a gaiwan

I have one like this, and I find the pour is a bit slow. For teas with bigger leaves, I actually tilt the lid a bit to increase the flow, exactly as I would do with a gaiwan. Then again, flat shiboridashis like Hokujo's are basically flat gaiwans with a spout, and one controls the flow by tilting the lid exactly as for a gaiwan. There is nothing on the archetypal shiboridashi that forces the lid to stay horizontal. And you see plenty of teapots described as "shiboridashis" that are not flat-shaped.

In other words, it is neither the shape nor the fact that the lid can smoothly slide as it is tipped that seems to separate gaiwans and shiboridashis.

If you twist my arm into producing a definition of what a shiboridashi is, I would try the following. A shiboridashi :

• Has a bottom vessel with no filter and no holes (unlike hohins)
• Can pour while the lid is horizontal (unlike gaiwan)