Ode to the Kyusu

[ferg]

@chillian12 Yes, I too prefer old school kyusu to shibo or houhin. I like a handle to grip, shibo seems similar to Chinese gaiwan with lid. I don’t want fingers to burn if I can avoid it, so handle just makes more sense to me, personally. For same reason I prefer yixing to gaiwan. I don’t know what to think of houhin, looks like a large shibo haha or a pitcher jug.

I tended to see flatter kyusu used for gyokuro, I think partly to visibly appreciate full unfurling of leaves. But I’ve also read on past threads that the flatter shape can lend to an almost creamier brew. I’m not sure why this would be but I just feel flatter fits with gyo, similar to how I think ball shaped is good for asa and tall is practical for fuka. This is simple minded approach but has worked well, for me again.

@Baisao I think I picked up this very same tea! Now I’m intrigued to try it but sticking to my open one sencha bag at a time rule, so perhaps next, soon.

Nice kyusu, looks like an older Yamada model. And older clay, more brown orange shudei. Brew sounds nice from description of clay’s affect on tea.

[Baisao]

@ferg, you’re correct about the kyusu. I think it is from Jozan Yamada II. The craftsmanship is sensitive and delicate, if that makes sense.

I hope you enjoy the tea. I noticed tonight for the first time that the package says to use 100°. However, I think it is better at 85° since it is closer to other lower temp Japanese teas than to a genuine oolong.

[chillian12]

chillian12 Yes, I too prefer old school kyusu to shibo or houhin. I like a handle to grip, shibo seems similar to Chinese gaiwan with lid. I don’t want fingers to burn if I can avoid it, so handle just makes more sense to me, personally. For same reason I prefer yixing to gaiwan. I don’t know what to think of houhin, looks like a large shibo haha or a pitcher jug.

I tended to see flatter kyusu used for gyokuro, I think partly to visibly appreciate full unfurling of leaves. But I’ve also read on past threads that the flatter shape can lend to an almost creamier brew. I’m not sure why this would be but I just feel flatter fits with gyo, similar to how I think ball shaped is good for asa and tall is practical for fuka. This is simple minded approach but has worked well, for me again.

Baisao I think I picked up this very same tea! Now I’m intrigued to try it but sticking to my open one sencha bag at a time rule, so perhaps next, soon.

And nice kyusu, looks like an older Jozan model. Maybe a younger Minoru. And older clay, more brown orange shudei. Brew sounds nice from description of clay’s affect on tea.

@ferg maybe my next kyusu will be a flatter one then, if not just to test the difference. That being said, I find this a dangerous addiction, the more I scroll the web the more I feel I need more kyusu

@Baisao beautiful kyusu! I love the inscriptions on the teapot, any idea what the inscriptions are based on or what they reference? If it's a Jozan as you mentioned, it's quite different from the following generations of Jozans in terms of the evolution of the style. This is what I enjoy about looking at kyusu - every kyusu is unique, even if the clay is the same, because the owners are different, and the history of the pot also changes with the years gone by and countless brews. I hope one day my teapots will also have that story to tell.

[Baisao]

Thank you, @chillian12. The inscription is in grass script and I haven’t found anyone IRL who can translate it, but I believe it is the Heart Sutra.

I feel the same about kyusu. Each handmade kyusu has its own personality.

[WhisperingFrog192]

Don't know too much about this little guy!

[Baisao]

I think that’s a much nicer kyusu than the one you posted on February 19th. I don’t know the maker but it is unglazed so you’ll have the added effect of the shudei interacting with the tea. For me, shudei contributes a bright, prickly sensation to tea.

[umami]

That one is likely made by 伊藤陶二, stamp says "陶二". Not that much about him online, and not a lot of works either, but he was Murata Yoshiki's teacher.

[chillian12]

Don't know too much about this little guy!

That's a unique looking spout for a kyusu of that size! How does it pour? Honestly it looks pretty old for a piece, given that in recent times potters seem to prefer signing their pieces instead of using their hanko to stamp their initials.

Great piece!

[WhisperingFrog192]

How does it pour?

Extremely fast! It pretty much clears its entire volume within moments. Very smooth, too - in fact, the whole piece is made of very smooth clay, slippery, almost like smooth textured glass.

[LeoFox]

OGAWA Jinpachi, 小川甚八 backhanded, 200 ml
A nice pot via @teatray

Very much enjoying the deep coloration and irregularly textured, thick, pink glaze that, under some lighting, makes me think of delicuous strawberry and cream.

The pour is adequate for me. See discussion.

viewtopic.php?p=47592#p47592


From toru
https://www.artisticnippon.com/product/ ... achi1.html

Ogawa Jinpachi was born in Kizarazu city, Chiba prefecture in 1949.
He became fascinated by Japanese ceramics after visiting Kasama as a young man and in 1975 he set up his own kiln in the city.

One of his teapots was selected by the world famous restaurant Noma for use at its special restaurant event at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Tokyo in 2015.
Ogawa Jinpachi is a craftsman based in Kasama city, Ibaraki prefecture. The city is well known for pottery but Jinpachi does not classify his work as Kasama ware. He says that although he lives in Kasama,his works do not adhere to a particular style.

He believes that a teapot only becomes worthy of the name when it is used to make good tea, and always has this thought in the back of his mind during the crafting process.

I tried pouring with a number of his teapots and each time I was struck by the quality of the "pour". I also noticed a certain difference in touch between Jinpachi's pieces and Tokoname ware.

First session:

viewtopic.php?p=47597#p47597

[Dresden]

My latest little addition to my work setup. A 140ml Gyokko yohen kyusu with kushime

[Victoria]

My latest little addition to my work setup. A 140ml Gyokko yohen kyusu with kushime

Sesame filter? Looks like a fast pour.

[Dresden]

My latest little addition to my work setup. A 140ml Gyokko yohen kyusu with kushime

Sesame filter? Looks like a fast pour.

I have not timed it but it is relatively quick

[WhisperingFrog192]

Another estate sale find!

[umami]

Looks quite similar to the one you found before, this one is from the Takasuke kiln.