Wash with warm water, using washing up liquid when necessary. Towel dry or leave to air dry naturally. Avoid putting in dishwasher or microwave.
Yuzamashi
Banko White
Taisen
SKU
4861
A contemporary Banko-yaki Yuzamashi water cooler coated in a refreshing white glaze, for lowering the temperature of boiled water when preparing delicate Japanese green teas, such as Sencha, Gyokuro and Kabusecha. Handcrafted by the award-winning Banko artisan, Taisen, perfect for pairing with one of his Kyusu.
| Product | Yuzamashi water cooler, white |
|---|---|
| Origin | Yokkaichi, Mie, Japan |
| Maker | Taisen 太仙 |
| Volume | 140ml |
| Dimensions | Ø11cm x 5cm |
| Weight | 163g |
| Material | Ceramic |
| Finish | White glaze |
| Production | Potter's wheel (Rokuro 轆轤 ) |
| Packaging | Cardboard box |
Each piece is handmade and unique, therefore colour, volume, dimensions and weight may vary slightly
In stock
Taisen 太仙
The son of a ceramicist and grandchild of a Kyusu artisan, Yamamoto Taisen (b.1953, Yokkaichi) grew up in an environment blessed with pottery. Upon graduating high school he started his journey as a potter, winning numerous prizes along the way. Today he not only specialises in classic Banko-yaki but also glazed wares and other tea ceremony utensils.
Yuzamashi 湯冷まし
High quality loose leaf teas, such as Gyokuro and Kabusecha, require a lower brewing temperature to bring out their sweetness, and the Yuzamashi – literally “hot water cooler” – does just that. To prepare tea in the traditional way: first pour the boiled water into the teacups to warm them up, then transfer the water into the Yuzamashi for further cooling before pouring over the tea leaves in the Kyusu teapot.
Yokkaichi Banko Yaki 四日市萬古焼
Merchant and passionate Chajin (“tea person”), Nunami Rozan, is credited as the founding father of Banko-yaki. Back in the 18th century he opened a kiln in what is now Asahi-machi, Mie prefecture, stamping his wares with 萬古不易 – banko-fueki: “eternally unchanging” – in the hope that his ceramics would be passed down across generations forever. Today Banko-yaki is still produced in the Mie prefecture, primarily in the city of Yokkaichi, and is a protected traditional craft of Japan. Synonymous with Banko is the local, iron-rich Shidei "purple clay" which when baked in a high-temperature reduction furnace becomes very heat resistant and turns the characteristic deep violet-brown of Banko-yaki with an almost metallic sheen. It is said that the tannins in green tea react with the iron in unglazed Shidei teaware to soften the astringency of the tea, highlighting its sweetness; therefore umami-rich teas such as Sencha, Kabusecha and Gyokuro come highly recommended when using Banko.
