My baby blue Yamada Sou is a white clay base--see that spout? The brown barely visible towards the base in this photo is a bit of something from the garden that I was using to level it.
Your shiggy colleciton is quite impressive.
12 Days of Kyusu
My baby blue Yamada Sou is a white clay base--see that spout? The brown barely visible towards the base in this photo is a bit of something from the garden that I was using to level it.
Your shiggy colleciton is quite impressive.
LOL, okay debunix you forced our hand.
Our 3rd selection, an Aoyu by Yamada Sou
This is a bit larger Kyusu at 250 ml, wood-fired 'shiggy'. It bears a rough texture, almost sandy with apparent iron spotting.
The flared handle is more typical of Yamada Sou's work. As with most Aoyu, glazing runs down and comes in contact with the kudei in firing. It is typical to see grinding by the artist.
The direct wall screen works perfectly with this tea. The pour is very smooth and translucent where the shudei Yamada Sou had rippling in the tea stream. The flow is medium, not as fast as some kyusu but on par with this tea..
As expected, the lid fitting is rough which is indicative of this particular clay, wood-fired, and Yamada Sou.
The pot itself has a kind of deep burgundy blushing, almost like a "Yohen", (changed by the fire effect)
When Chip first purchased these over the course of a few years, he was leary about using them, fearing immediate discoloration of the inside sandy colored clay. Although this kyusu has not seen heavy use, he does not discern much if any patina or discoloration, unlike the almost immediate changes with the Tachi Shigaraki clay.
Chip senses that this Shigaraki clay is much less porous than that used by Tachi .
Today's tea is of course is the same as the last 2 days. It has oodles of umami, very full mouth-feel, is deep and complex, and very sweet. Little if any astringency and bitterness in the first steeps, way different than in yesterday's Tashi kyusu. The tea is very pleasing on the palette, not sensing any flavor inhibition with the tea flavor coming out in full force. In the later sessions, the flavor is light with a nice warming sensation, not astringent as with some kyusu. These sessions seem to go longer maintaining a nice quality to the steeps.
Our 3rd selection, an Aoyu by Yamada Sou
This is a bit larger Kyusu at 250 ml, wood-fired 'shiggy'. It bears a rough texture, almost sandy with apparent iron spotting.
The flared handle is more typical of Yamada Sou's work. As with most Aoyu, glazing runs down and comes in contact with the kudei in firing. It is typical to see grinding by the artist.
The direct wall screen works perfectly with this tea. The pour is very smooth and translucent where the shudei Yamada Sou had rippling in the tea stream. The flow is medium, not as fast as some kyusu but on par with this tea..
As expected, the lid fitting is rough which is indicative of this particular clay, wood-fired, and Yamada Sou.
The pot itself has a kind of deep burgundy blushing, almost like a "Yohen", (changed by the fire effect)
When Chip first purchased these over the course of a few years, he was leary about using them, fearing immediate discoloration of the inside sandy colored clay. Although this kyusu has not seen heavy use, he does not discern much if any patina or discoloration, unlike the almost immediate changes with the Tachi Shigaraki clay.
Chip senses that this Shigaraki clay is much less porous than that used by Tachi .
Today's tea is of course is the same as the last 2 days. It has oodles of umami, very full mouth-feel, is deep and complex, and very sweet. Little if any astringency and bitterness in the first steeps, way different than in yesterday's Tashi kyusu. The tea is very pleasing on the palette, not sensing any flavor inhibition with the tea flavor coming out in full force. In the later sessions, the flavor is light with a nice warming sensation, not astringent as with some kyusu. These sessions seem to go longer maintaining a nice quality to the steeps.
Last edited by Jo on Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:38 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Chip
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A bit of a bubble fetish ...
I always like to zoom in on the bubbles that only show up in later steeps. It makes me think of a stadium full of observers.
I always like to zoom in on the bubbles that only show up in later steeps. It makes me think of a stadium full of observers.
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Chip
- Admin
- Posts: 371
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- Location: In the TeaCave atop Mt Fuji
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I will endeavor to rate each kyusu based upon the following categories on a scale of 1-10. With a noteworthy citation if applicable.
Appearance-my impression
Form-relative conduciveness to brewing the test tea
Feel-tactile in hand
Pour & Screen function
Flavor based on test tea only
Overall
Aoyu shigaraki kyusu by Yamada Sou.
Appearance- very striking and full of wabi sabi. Though maybe not to everyone's taste. 10
Form- perfectly balanced. A little thicker and less delicate feel. 9
Feel- lots of tactile which I favor. 10
Pour & screen. Perfect pour, comes out crystal clear which is striking. Perfect screen function. 10
Flavor- this clearly kicked the Tachi Masaki Shigaraki kyusu in this most important category for this tea. Better flavor, less bitter, much less astringency. Best tested so far. 10
Overall- clearly a 10.
Appearance-my impression
Form-relative conduciveness to brewing the test tea
Feel-tactile in hand
Pour & Screen function
Flavor based on test tea only
Overall
Aoyu shigaraki kyusu by Yamada Sou.
Appearance- very striking and full of wabi sabi. Though maybe not to everyone's taste. 10
Form- perfectly balanced. A little thicker and less delicate feel. 9
Feel- lots of tactile which I favor. 10
Pour & screen. Perfect pour, comes out crystal clear which is striking. Perfect screen function. 10
Flavor- this clearly kicked the Tachi Masaki Shigaraki kyusu in this most important category for this tea. Better flavor, less bitter, much less astringency. Best tested so far. 10
Overall- clearly a 10.
Wow, such beautiful shades of blue. I didn’t know they also glimmered so nicely, maybe flecks of mica. I’m kind of surprised he grinds off from the bottom the dripping glaze. Possibly Sou tried stopping the glaze earlier, so it didn’t reach the bottom, but wasn’t happy with the results. The clear smooth pour, as compared to Sou’s shudei pots, is also very interesting to hear about. The seashells may be an ode to Lake Biwa where Shigaraki clay is sourced. Great collection once again.
Probably, the drip was to large and unevenly protruding, preventing the pot from sitting flat.
In any case very nice teapots! Blue is not my thing, but pretty they are indeed...