Yokei
| Type | Tokoname-yaki shiboridashi |
|---|---|
| Origin | Tokoname, Aichi, Japan |
| Studio/Artist | Yōkei |
| Volume | 70ml |
| Material | Ceramic |
| Glaze | Yohen |
| Decoration | Inka flower stamp |
| Production | Potter's wheel (rokuro) |
| Strainer | - |
| Artist's Stamp | Yes |
| Packaging | Gift box |
One for tea specialists, the shiboridashi is a small, palm-sized brewing vessel without a handle or strainer at the spout. It is used for teas such as gyokuro, kabusecha and high grade senchas that brew at lower temperatures – which means the handle-free instrument should be cool enough to hold. The name shiboridashi translates to “squeeze out”, a reference to how the tea is pushed through the small gap, in order to extract the very last drop from top quality leaves.
Pottery has been produced in the city of Tokoname, Aichi prefecture, since as far back as the 12th century, and since 1976 has been protected as a traditional craft of Japan. Tokoname was the site of the largest and oldest of the legendary Six Ancient Kilns of Japan and is celebrated for its iron-rich shudei clay that turns red after firing. When fired a second time in a reduction oven, the red shudei turns black – the other characteristic colour of Tokoname-yaki. Traditional Tokoname kyusu teapots are unglazed on the inside, allowing the tannins in the tea to react with the iron in the clay body, which is said to reduce astringency and highlight the sweetness of green teas. Another key feature of these kyusu are the perfectly fitting lids, which are ground into the clay body after firing in a technique known as suriawase.
