KUBO SABUN
HANDMADE DARK BAMBOO WHISK
Description
This elegant handmade matcha chasen in dark bamboo has 100 bristles and is suitable for whisking both thick (koicha) and thin (usucha) matcha. Easy to use and long-lasting, this whisk is used by tea ceremony teachers across Japan. It is decorated with a beautiful handwoven red thread.
Made in Takayama (Nara prefecture) by Kubo Masaki, the 24th generation of a chasen-making family, and recognized as National Living Treasure for his skills.
Origin
100% handmade dark bamboo whisk from Takayama (Japan)
Use
For making thin Usucha (薄茶) and thick Koicha (濃茶) matcha
Quality and Type
Dark bamboo; 100 bristles
Dimensions:
H: 12 cm, diameter: 6 cm
Use instructions
Handmade whisks are more fragile than those made in a factory because the bristles are much thinner. To avoid bending the bristles and breaking the chasen, don't press the tip of the chasen against the bottom of the bowl.
Learn all you need to know about how to use a handmade chasen to prepare matcha with our tea instructor, Yuka san!
Care instructions
Before using a chasen for the first time, let it set in hot water for 10 minutes in your matcha bowl, head down. Only dip half of the hosaki, the strings of the chasen, in the water.
Afterward, wet the chasen a little before every use to soften the bristles for making more foam and prevent damaging them.
Cleaning instructions
Rinse your matcha whisk carefully by whisking it in clear hot water in the same bowl you used for preparing your matcha. Running water is acceptable but only if the flow is light, to avoid damaging the strings. If needed, use your fingers to gently remove remaining matcha.
Do not let the bamboo sit in water as it will damage the whisk. Do not put your matcha whisk in the dishwasher, dryer or use any dish soap!
Afterward, store your chasen either strings facing up (never directly in contact with a surface), or better yet, use a chasen holder (kusenaoshi) that will allow the bristles to dry and keep their shape.
Artist Information
KUBO MASAKI
Kubo san was born into a tea whisk family and has devoted his life to the making of tea whisks. His craftsmanship has a long history and has been passed on from generation to generation in his family.
He was recognized as a traditional master craftsman by the Minister of International Trade and Industry of Japan in 1987, and was awarded the imperial "Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette" in the autumn of 2015.
