Kyusu Tea Pots

Most Japanese families have a Kyusu and a Yunomi, rather like many British families have a variety of mugs in their cupboard. The Kyusu is a multi-functional teapot, used to brew all kinds of loose teas, including black and green teas. The size of the Kyusu varies from the small, for one person, to larger ones.

Types of Strainers

Kyusu with Ceramic Strainer

The teapot and tea strainer are both made of ceramic
and are integrated into one. The tea leaves are fully submerged in the hot water and can swim, making the very best of the tea. As it is made of pottery, you can enjoy the original taste of the tea. It requires particular expertise to produce a ceramic strainer.

Kyusu with Stainless Steel Strainer

The teapot has a flat mesh stretched over it. This
model has the advantage of being less expensive than the ceramic strainer. The tea leaves are able to swim around, but the space between the strainer and teapot is difficult to maintain.

Kyusu with Stainless Mesh Basket

The teapot contains a removable mesh basket. In this
case it is easy to clean the teapot, however this combination does not brew the best tea. It would be better to provide a larger basket, so that the tea leaves
can swim and brew in a larger space.   

Types of design

In terms of the design of the Kyusu, there are
four main types of handles. None of them are particularly better or worse, so you may like to choose one based on based on ow easy it is to hold, or how it might look, and the type of tea you want to drink.

 

Handle on the side

This is the traditional type of teapot. It means you
can hold the lid on with your thumb, so that you can brew the tea with one hand. 

Handle on the back

 This type has a handle on the opposite side of the
spout. This is a common teapot shape in Europe, so it blends in well with Western-style interiors.

Handle on top  

This teapot is shaped like an iron kettle, and we call
it the ‘Dobin’ style. These tea pots are safe for teas brewed with boiling water, such as hojicha and bancha.

Without handle

This teapot is used for teas brewed at low temperatures, such as gyokuro.

There is a theory that tiny holes in the ceramic surface of a teapot allow the air to dissolve in the hot water, improving the taste of the tea. Tokoname ware is famous for its Kyusu, as the Japanese people believe that the clay of the Tokoname can reduce the level of tannin in the tea, giving it a gentler, less bitter taste. This has meant that the region has attracted many artisans (and apprentices) to produce tea pots. However it may be that Japan’s aging society might change this influx, as some small (and aging) studio potters are tiring.

We would like to help them to hand across their skills and experience to a younger generation, and our mission is to promote their products to a more international audience, so that there is more motivation and enthusiasm for this tradition to be passed on to the next generation.