煎茶中国茶台湾茶向け日本の急須/茶壺専門店　東山堂

Tokoname white seaweed pattern teapot gift package

Name: Tokoname white seaweed pattern teapot gift package
Brand: 煎茶 中国茶 台湾茶向け 日本の急須/茶壺専門店 東山堂
SKU: 49483857658137
Availability: InStock

¥35,000 JPY

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This is a white seaweed pattern teapot by Jinshu Touen. It features a long, vertical shape and a pattern made using the seaweed pattern technique. It has just the right volume for brewing Chinese or Taiwanese tea. It comes in a gift package that combines Echizen lacquerware and a furoshiki wrapping cloth.

Mr. Ito of Jinshu Touen is a Tokoname ware craftsman who has been making tea utensils for about 50 years. In addition to making tea utensils, he drinks Chinese and Taiwanese tea on a daily basis and has a deep knowledge of tea. Mr. Ito is a modern master craftsman of teapots, highly regarded not only in Japan but also in China and Taiwan.

(Biography of Mr. Ito Seiji)

Born in Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture in 1949

Started making pottery in 1970

Traditional craftsman certified by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Tokoname ware general category)

Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award for contributions to the traditional craft industry

Purveyor to the Imperial Household Agency

10th Chosan Award at the Chosan Award Ceramics Exhibition

Excellent Award at the 34th Banko Ceramic Competition 2020

Silver Award at the 1st World Ceramic Art Awards in Yixing, China (teapot competition)

Judges' Recommendation Award at the 6th Taiwan International Golden Ceramic Art Exhibition (teapot competition)

Numerous other awards

"Seaweed pattern" is a traditional Tokoname ware technique. It is said to have been developed by a Tokoname potter about 200 years ago. A seaweed called Koamamo, which is harvested in the Chita Peninsula, is attached to the surface of the teapot, and after firing, the minerals in the seaweed remain as a pattern.

The clay used for the teapot is light brown, and only the outside of the teapot is covered with a white glaze. The small minerals contained in the clay are visible as black spots. The countless small black spots and the linear patterns created by the seaweed look like constellations floating in the starry sky.

The teapots made by Mr. Ito are tea utensils that are extremely easy to use. The water flows smoothly and does not drip from the spout. The contact surface between the lid and the body is carefully polished, and the lid fits snugly into the body. The angle of the handle and the overall weight balance are designed in detail to make it easy to use.

The vertical lines on the side of the teapot are made from the bottom to the top with a spatula while the teapot is turned on a potter's wheel. It is important that the shoulder lines of the teapot are aligned. The teapot's shoulders are properly shaped to create a beautiful, well-defined shape.

The tea strainer inside the teapot is also made from the same Tokoname clay. The handmade mesh tea strainer is a traditional Tokoname ware technique. This is a wonderful teapot that combines precision craftsmanship and craft design. This teapot makes use of the texture of Tokoname clay and the sea of the Chita Peninsula, and allows you to feel the Japanese nature and tradition.

To store the teapot, we custom-ordered a lacquered box from Ootoshi lacquerware studio, a long-established Echizen lacquerware studio that has been in business for four generations. This lacquerware is made using real lacquer and the traditional process of Echizen lacquerware. Each piece is made by hand, so it takes three months to complete.

The surface of the lacquered box has a soft thickness and a modest luster that is unique to lacquer. The lacquered box is not only used to store teapots, but is also beautiful as a craft item and can be used as interior decoration for a room. Wrapping it in a traditional furoshiki cloth gives it a more Japanese and cultural look.

<Teapot> Made in Aichi Prefecture

Potter: Jinshu Touen (Tokoname ware)

Firing: Electric furnace

Size: Total length 12cm (including handle and spout), body diameter 7cm, height 8.5cm

Capacity: 150ml

Weight: Approximately 130g

Notes: Since these are handmade, each one is slightly different.

The seal between the lid and the body is good. You can see how to pour water in the youtube video below.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/F53WWGrcZ7k

Maker: Ootoshi Lacquerware studio (Echizen Lacquerware)

Size: Length 10.8cm, Width 10.8cm, Height 11.5cm

Weight: 230-260g

Materials: Lid - Shina plywood / Body - Hiba wood / Paint - Natural lacquer

Notes: Handmade in Fukui Prefecture. All surfaces are coated by black lacquer.

Materials: Green 100% cotton / Navy Silk and linen blend

Weight: Approximately 50g

Notes: You can choose the color of the furoshiki, green or navy.

*Tokoname ware

Tokoname ware is pottery made in Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture. Tokoname ware was the largest ceramics production area in Japan in the Middle Ages, and in addition to everyday items such as plates, bowls, and pots, many large pottery vessels such as jars and pots were made.

From the end of the Edo period (around 1858), red clay tea and sake utensils were also made. From the mid-Showa period (1962), the technology of electric furnaces for red clay was established. Tokoname teapots are fired at about 1100℃. Tokoname clay is a clay that is compatible with electric furnaces, which have a slightly lower temperature than wood-fired kilns, which reach high temperatures of 1200 to 1300℃.

The Tokoname region, which was at the bottom of a lake called Lake Tokai millions of years ago, has fine-grained clay such as red clay and black clay that is suitable for teapots. Tokoname has accumulated the techniques necessary for making teapots, such as high-level molding techniques and the technique of fitting the lid and body of the teapot together without any gaps, called "rubbing". It is the largest teapot production area in Japan.

* Echizen lacquerware

The origins of Echizen lacquerware date back about 1500 years. Before Emperor Keitai, the 26th Emperor of Japan, ascended to the throne, he ordered a lacquer craftsman from Echizen to repair his crown. The lacquer craftsman repaired the crown with lacquer and presented a lacquered bowl to the Emperor. The production of lacquerware was encouraged, and lacquerware production began in Katayama village, Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture.

Echizen has many lacquer trees, and it is said that at its peak it produced half of the lacquer in the country. When Nikko Toshogu Shrine in Tochigi Prefecture was being built, the Tokugawa Shogunate ordered lacquer craftsmen from Echizen to collect lacquer.

After the Muromachi period, lacquered bowls became widely used in Buddhist ceremonies. At the end of the Edo period, maki-e craftsmen were invited from Kyoto to introduce the technique of maki-e. The technique of chinkin was adopted from Wajima in Noto, and Echizen lacquerware became not only durable but also decorative.

From the middle of the Meiji period, trays and stacked boxes called "kakumono" (square objects) began to be made. The square bowls used for Zaru Soba and sushi geta (wooden clogs) are also square objects. Bowls are called "marumono" (round objects). Square objects require more steps in the lacquering process than round objects, and the lacquer tends to accumulate on the corners, making it difficult to achieve a smooth, beautiful lacquer surface. Ootoshi Lacquerware is a studio that has been in business for four generations and specializes in square objects.

The color of the furoshiki: green

Quantity

Low stock: 1 left

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FAQ

Which type of of tea can I brew with the teapot?

It can be used for any type of tea. However, unglazed pottery is more likely to absorb the flavor of the tea leaves. By using different tea utensils for each type of tea, you can enjoy the flavor of the tea to the fullest.

For example, in the case of Japanese tea, sencha, fukamushicha, genmaicha, and gyokuro are all in the same family, but since hojicha has a strong roasted aroma, we recommend using a different tea utensil.

However, glazed pottery or porcelain tea utensils do not absorb the flavor of the tea leaves, so they are suitable for brewing various types of tea.

How do you wash a teapot?

Please wash the teapot with water, without using detergent. Ceramic teapots easily absorb detergent ingredients, which can affect the flavor of the tea.

Tea leaves remaining in the teapot are the main cause of tea stains. After brewing tea, we recommend removing the tea leaves once they have cooled and rinsing them with water.

Moisture remaining in the teapot can cause mold. Turning the teapot upside down will help it dry faster.

We do not recommend washing it in the dishwasher. Please wash by hand.

Can I remove tea stains from a teapot?

Here's how to remove tea stains.

1. In a bowl or pot, mix 24g of baking soda with 1 liter of water at 30-40°C.

*Do not use aluminum or Teflon-coated pots as they will react with baking soda.

2. Leave the teapot in the water mentioned in step 1 for 30-60 minutes.

3. Wipe off the tea stains with a soft sponge or cotton swab. Do not use hard sponges or brushes.

4. Rinse the teapot with water.

5. Thoroughly dry the teapot.

*Baking soda water may irritate your hands, so wear rubber gloves.

Can I return the product?

We do not accept returns unless the product is damaged when the package arrives.

Each tea utensil is slightly different and may have slight distortions or scratches. Please check the images posted on our online shop in advance.

If you have any questions about the detailed condition of the product, please feel free to contact us. We can send you additional images and videos of the product.

Do you ship internationally?

We can ship to the following countries:

China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines

Are the goods antiques or second-hand goods?

All the products in the shop are new. We sell products produced by potters and kilns in Japan.

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Tokoname white seaweed pattern teapot gift package