Ode to the Kyusu

[twta500]

I want to put away a kyusu I no longer plan on using for the foreseeable future. I rinsed the inside and outside with boiling water and checked to make sure there were no sencha remnants stuck inside or in the filter. How long should I let it dry before putting it away? Would 24 hours suffice?

[Victoria]

I want to put away a kyusu I no longer plan on using for the foreseeable future. I rinsed the inside and outside with boiling water and checked to make sure there were no sencha remnants stuck inside or in the filter. How long should I let it dry before putting it away? Would 24 hours suffice?

I’d say 48hrs is probably safer, just to make sure all moisture is gone. If you’re storing in a cabinet with some passive air circulation that’s probably a good storage option to prevent odors from settling into clay. Tomobako (wooden boxes) are also a great way to store kyusu, keeping dust out, preventing breakage, and odor free.

[twta500]

I want to put away a kyusu I no longer plan on using for the foreseeable future. I rinsed the inside and outside with boiling water and checked to make sure there were no sencha remnants stuck inside or in the filter. How long should I let it dry before putting it away? Would 24 hours suffice?

I’d say 48hrs is probably safer, just to make sure all moisture is gone. If you’re storing in a cabinet with some passive air circulation that’s probably a good storage option to prevent odors from settling into clay. Tomobako (wooden boxes) are also a great way to store kyusu, keeping dust out, preventing breakage, and odor free.

I was going to wrap them in paper towels and put them into plastic lidded boxes... No air circulation, but no dust or (outside) odors either. Would that be a bad idea?

[Victoria]

I want to put away a kyusu I no longer plan on using for the foreseeable future. I rinsed the inside and outside with boiling water and checked to make sure there were no sencha remnants stuck inside or in the filter. How long should I let it dry before putting it away? Would 24 hours suffice?

I’d say 48hrs is probably safer, just to make sure all moisture is gone. If you’re storing in a cabinet with some passive air circulation that’s probably a good storage option to prevent odors from settling into clay. Tomobako (wooden boxes) are also a great way to store kyusu, keeping dust out, preventing breakage, and odor free.

I was going to wrap them in paper towels and put them into plastic lidded boxes... No air circulation, but no dust or (outside) odors either. Would that be a bad idea?

Guess it depends on how porous the kyusu is, if the type of plastic box off-gases after a while, and how long you plan on storing. Cotton cloth or acid free paper might be better for long term storage, although bleach used to make paper towels probably won’t be that bad really, just stay away from thicker paper towels that are layered, those use an adhesive (that could off-gas) to bind the layers. The main issue is preventing overly humid storage, with poor air circulation, inside containers that off-gas like certain glues, resins, and plastics.

[twta500]

I’d say 48hrs is probably safer, just to make sure all moisture is gone. If you’re storing in a cabinet with some passive air circulation that’s probably a good storage option to prevent odors from settling into clay. Tomobako (wooden boxes) are also a great way to store kyusu, keeping dust out, preventing breakage, and odor free.

I was going to wrap them in paper towels and put them into plastic lidded boxes... No air circulation, but no dust or (outside) odors either. Would that be a bad idea?

Guess it depends on how porous the kyusu is, if the type of plastic box off-gases after a while, and how long you plan on storing. Cotton cloth or acid free paper might be better for long term storage, although bleach used to make paper towels probably won’t be that bad really, just stay away from thicker paper towels that are layered, those use an adhesive (that could off-gas) to bind the layers. The main issue is preventing overly humid storage, with poor air circulation, inside containers that off-gas like certain glues, resins, and plastics.

I guess I'm planning for more or less permanent storage, as I have no more "use" for the kyusu I'm putting away. Interesting tip on the acid free paper, I had no idea what this was before I Googled it. Any idea if I should be using "buffered" or "unbuffered" acid free paper for ceramics?

[bliss]

As per request by @Victoria, here's a bit of documentation on my Yamada Sou Kyusu.

I purchased the teapot in early 2014 via Lionel on TeaChat, who arranged a purchase of several pots directly from Yamada Sou.

The kyusu was bigger (275ml) and differently shaped than I had wanted at the time, but I decided to go ahead anyway. Upon receiving the kyusu and using it, my Kobiwako that I was using at the time was forever retired from sencha duty. I found the sencha that the Yamada Sou pot brewed was just so much more cohesive, crystal clear in flavour, and smooth. That was my impression at the time, I haven't put them to test anytime recently. I also found that brewing with a half-full kyusu for sencha was totally fine, so the size was not a problem. The walls of the pot are paper thin.

I was actually thinking of brewing some gaoshan in the Yamada Sou pot the other day, but when I poured in water and it had a wonderful scent of sencha, I couldn't bring myself to put other tea in there. I'll just have to get another wood-fired Yamada Sou pot.

Here's some pictures of it that I took today. I forgot to take a snapshot of the box, I can do that some other day next week if there's interest.

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I love this pot.

[Baisao]

@bliss, it is a lovely pot. I’m sure it brews true.

[Pan]

My current collection.

My life goal is to get a Yamada Jozan III and a Yamada Jozan IV so I can have a “family of Kyushu” I missed out on several opportunities but will not again

first is my Yamada Sou, if you look closely you will see I did not heed @Victoria's advice about handling with two hands, this was recent, and superglue helped greatly to repair it. It makes wonderful sencha. as my last picture of my Fugetsu shows I did the same and lost the lid but now use it as a water pitcher. It made wonderful ti guan yin and alishan.

second picture is of Kohokujo which I recently purchased from Asako, the other two of the shibordashi and the hohin are not kyusu's but I love Fugetsu's work as well as Hokujo I just had to share lol. I dipped deep and bought a nanban one by Hokujo which is on its way as well as a replacment to my broken Fugetsu.

Fun fact Im sure many know. Fugetsu was a direct apprentice of Yamada Jozan III currently

shou Yamada

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Kohokujo

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Yakashime shibordashi and gyokuro cup by Hokujo

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damaged fugetsu

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fugetsu hohin

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[Baisao]

@L.S.G.artapprentice, the hohin is beautiful. It has elegant lines.

I'm sorry to hear about the broken pots.

I have never broken or chipped a piece of teaware in all these years of making tea daily, despite having a tremor from my days as an endurance cyclist. Hard roads and poor neck posture when in the drops. Knock on wood that I never do break anything!

I think I will go with staples or kintsugi (probably followed by retirement) should that unfortunate event ever occur.

[Victoria]

As per request by Victoria, here's a bit of documentation on my Yamada Sou Kyusu.

I purchased the teapot in early 2014 via Lionel on TeaChat, who arranged a purchase of several pots directly from Yamada Sou.

The kyusu was bigger (275ml) and differently shaped than I had wanted at the time, but I decided to go ahead anyway. Upon receiving the kyusu and using it, my Kobiwako that I was using at the time was forever retired from sencha duty. I found the sencha that the Yamada Sou pot brewed was just so much more cohesive, crystal clear in flavour, and smooth. That was my impression at the time, I haven't put them to test anytime recently. I also found that brewing with a half-full kyusu for sencha was totally fine, so the size was not a problem. The walls of the pot are paper thin.

I was actually thinking of brewing some gaoshan in the Yamada Sou pot the other day, but when I poured in water and it had a wonderful scent of sencha, I couldn't bring myself to put other tea in there. I'll just have to get another wood-fired Yamada Sou pot.

Here's some pictures of it that I took today. I forgot to take a snapshot of the box, I can do that some other day next week if there's interest.



I love this pot.

Thank you for sharing @bliss. That is a special Sou mayake kyusu you have, it is very similar to one I have that is backhandeled (and soon going to a friend’s new home). From your post it looks like you are using yours for sencha, I’ve used mine with high mountain and later with roasted oolong and like you find the flavor clear and smooth as well. Funny, when getting a kyusu, it let’s us know over time how it wants to be used, not the other way around. Every piece has a unique mix of form, proportion, clay, and firing conditions and so it might take some time to get acquainted.

Yamada Sou 180ml (160ml functional) mayake with flying ash glaze.

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[LeoFox]

Joining the party here with a sou mayake. 180 mL.

[Bok]

Joining the party here with a sou mayake. 180 mL.

It looks wonderful, I’ve always liked Sou’s elegant spouts and with wood firing it looks much better than with their chalky Shudei...

[Baisao]

@LeoFox- That’s a gorgeous kyusu!

[Pan]

Wow @LeoFox and @Victoria those are gorgeous, hmm I may go for a wood fired yamada sou soon!

[Pan]

So proud to finally own a Hokujo Kyushu. Hope to buy a Yamakashi(sp?) one when it comes available I missed out last time. Last one is of father and son (Kohokujo)