Superior Japanese Green
Tea
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| Kisen
Chasen Chuaraho (Takayama Ikoma Nara, Japan):
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Introducing
the process of the bamboo whisk production
| 1.
The raw bamboo (genchiku)
The
ash bamboo (Hachiku) which has lost its stickiness and smoothened out during the
intensely cold winters is cut and stored after 2-3 years growth.
As for
the ash bamboo the surface is even and its fiber very gentle; both qualities which
makes it an outstanding material to work with. |  | 2.
Basic shape (Hegi)
First
the upper half of a whisk-size bamboo piece will be peeled.
Then it will be
dividing with a sharp knife into 16 equal parts (12 for thinner pieces and 18-24
equal partitions for thicker bamboo) |  | 3.
Finer cut (Kowari)
The
16 parts are divided into 10 equal tines thus creating
a whisk with 160 equal
tines. In case of 80pon date chasen
those 10 tines are then divided alternately
collecting 5
in the centre of the whisk and leaving 5 tines to for the
outer
circle. |  | 4.
Shaving (Ajikezuri)
The
bamboo tines are dampened in hot water and than shaved becoming thinner from the
bottom to the top.
When they are suitably thin, they will be ironed and shaped.
This
method of shaving varies with the shape of the whisk.
It is said that even
the taste of maccha depends on this most difficult process of shaving. |  | 5.
Molding (Mentori)
Each
tine of the chasen is now shaved individually to produce angles on its sides.
This
helps that the powdered tea will not stick to it.
|  | 6.
Inner and outer compilation (shitaami,ueami)
Using
a thread the tines are now separated into an inner and outer compilation. |  | 7.
The waist is arranged, (koshinarabe)
A
bamboo spoon is pushed in between the inner and outer compilation, thus deciding
height and interval bewteen the tines. |  | 8.
Finish
The
order of the tine tip is corrected and the shape is arranged, the height of the
tines and spaces between them are corrected to make them all equal. |  | Every
1st + 3rd Sunday at the Takayama bamboo forest garden (Ikoma city) you can witness
a public demonstration of bamboo whisk making.
Here the address of Takayama
bamboo forest garden:
Nara prefecture, Ikoma city Takayama Cho 3440 / TEL.
0743-79-3344
(please inquire about the demonstration time) |
About
the Takayama whisks ( Nara Prefecture, Ikoma City)
Around the middle of the Muromachi
era, Sousetsu the second son of Raiei, owner of the Takayama castle, asked his
close friend Murata Juko, superior of temple Shomeidera, to produce a bamboo whisk.
This is said to be the start of the Takayama whisks' production.
| | Note
about the whisks ( chasen ) :
Commonly
the Japanese word for tea whisk is written with the two
Kanji
茶 = cha and 筅 =
sen. It is only in Takayama (Nara prefecture)
that the Kanji 筌 =
sen is used. Only Takayama chasen are known to be the 'perfect' whisks
See
various maccha tools ( whisks, spoons, containers)
|
Nakata
Kizo , whisk maker and bamboo craftsman
1940 born
in Takayama, Ikoma, Nara prefecture.
Though he was the son of a rice farmer,at
the age of 14 he was sent to acquire skillful hands and learned to make whisks
at an apprentice public service.
After 6 years of study, he continued to learn
various remaining techniques before becoming independent at the age of 25.
In
1975 he founded the Nakata Kizo cooperation.
Presently about half of Japan's
whisks are produced by his company. | |
 | Please
note that we order certain matcha tool items from various suppliers and will ship
them as soon as they have been delivered to us. |
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Please
do not use a dishwasher, microwave oven or electric oven. |
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About
your chasen:
A
bamboo whisk is a very delicate tea utensil that might have to be replaced when
the tines wear off or break.
When left moist it might also produce mold. Please
replace your whisk if you
detect mold on it or several tines that are broken.
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