Choosing a teapot and teacups

There are many shapes and styles of teapots and teacups available today, it can be difficult to choose the best Japanese tea set simply based on personal preferences.

Which teapot is the best for me?

We recommend 250 - 350 ml Japanese side-handle (Yokote) Kyusu for one option, which will be a great choice for making tea for 1-2 people and can be used frequently.

You may also think about Kyusu materials. The taste of tea changes depending on the material of Kyusu. Many Kyusu are made of stoneware, which is considered to be between pottery and porcelain. The stoneware has many holes and is said to make tea tasty because it adsorbs excess components. (Personally I recommend Banko ware Kyusu.)

• 250-350ml Kyusu

• It should be made of Stoneware with side handle

• Japanese tea cup (less than 150ml)

Of course, it's the best to buy bigger size Kyusu in addition to small one if you often serve Japanese tea for your guests or your household having 3 or 4 more people. I have both of them and my children also enjoy Japanese tea everyday!

Why Japanese teacups do not have handles and are those so small?

Traditionally, Japanese tea is served at a much lower temperature than boiling water, in particular as green tea gives the best flavor when the water is at around 60 to 80 degrees . A teacup without a handle also serves as a medium to gauge if you have served the best tea. But the most important things about why I recommend buying small cups for Japanese tea is that you can enjoy multiple infusions without becoming full by using them.

Sencha might give you three infusions in total and each infusion has different taste and flavor. The best way to enjoy all kind of the flavor is by drinking from smaller teacups.

You can make your guests enjoy all the infusions without becoming full after they drink the first tea.

Anything else we should have?

I highly recommend you have a tenugui (which is a traditional Japanese cloth without hem.) as a tea towel. It's very thin and strong cloth, so Japanese small tea cups can be stable on the edge of cloth and they can catch the water drop when you serve Japanese tea from Kyusu. Tenugui has so many pattern and color which are usually Japanese traditional pattern, so it can help you to decollate your table nicely.

Chataku (Japanese tea saucer)

Also it's necessary to have Chataku (Japanese tea saucer) if you serve Japanese tea for your guests. You can use some coaster instead of them if you do not have proper Chataku.

Chazutsu (Japanese tea caddy)

Japanese tea is generally packaged in aluminum bag so it can keep the tea leaves fresh and safe but if you once open it, the tea leaves start becoming deteriorated. You need to store the tea leaves in a chazutsu which can keep the leaves fresh. It's better to store tea leaves in a aluminum bag in freezer if you do not consume them in a month after opening the package.