Essential Teaware for Enjoying Sencha

There are many different kinds of teaware used for sencha, but two of the most important are the kyusu teapot and the teacup.Here, we introduce the essential tools for enjoying sencha, how to choose them, and some of the Japanese teaware selected by RAKUDA.

Kyusu

The kyusu is the most common teapot used for brewing sencha.Tea leaves are placed inside, hot water is added, and the tea is left to steep, drawing out its umami, aroma, and flavor.One of the most important things to consider when choosing a kyusu is what kind of tea you want to drink, and in what kind of situation.

If you want to carefully enjoy a high-grade tea using a small amount of water and precise temperature control, a smaller teapot is often more suitable.
On the other hand, if you are sharing tea with family or friends, or drinking it casually throughout the day much like coffee while working, a larger capacity is usually more practical.

Kyusu also vary in material, shape, and type of strainer, but thinking first about capacity and when you plan to use itmakes choosing one much easier.

Hohin

For times when you want to slow down and really taste the tea, there is a special type of teapot called a hohin.
A hohin is a small teapot without a handle.
It is often used for gyokuro and high-grade sencha, which are typically brewed slowly with relatively low-temperature water.Because it is designed for small servings, it is well suited to carefully appreciating the tea’s umami and aroma.Since lower-temperature water is usually used, the vessel can also be held directly without the need for a handle.

Yunomi

A yunomi is a cup used for drinking Japanese tea.There are many different styles, from everyday cups to thin, delicate vessels and smaller cups.When choosing one, consider the capacity, how comfortable it feels in your hand, and whether the design fits naturally into your daily life.The width and angle of the rim can also influence how you experience the tea’s aroma and mouthfeel.

Small Tea Cups

Small tea cups are often used for enjoying gyokuro and high-grade sencha in smaller quantities.They are usually smaller than everyday yunomi and are designed for slowly appreciating a concentrated cup of tea. Paired with a hohin, they allow you to experience the tea’s umami and aroma more carefully.The thickness of the cup, the width of the opening, and the angle of the rim can all influence how the tea feels and tastes.
One particularly interesting difference is between cups with an outward-curving rim and flatter, straighter-rimmed cups.
There is no clear scientific data proving a definitive difference, but in conversations with people deeply involved in sencha, we often hear that cups with an outward-curving rim allow the tea to flow smoothly onto the tongue, making sweetness easier to notice.
Flatter cups, on the other hand, have a wider opening and are often said to make aromas easier to appreciate while allowing the tea’s umami to spread more broadly across the palate.
Because these are objects we use every day, trying different shapes and gradually discovering what feels right for you can itself become part of the enjoyment of tea.

Other Useful Teaware

Yuzamashi

A yuzamashi is a vessel used to cool freshly boiled water to the appropriate temperature for tea.Sencha is not always brewed with boiling water.By transferring hot water into a yuzamashi first, the temperature can be lowered, helping to reduce bitterness and astringency while bringing out more umami.It is particularly useful when preparing gyokuro and high-grade sencha at lower temperatures.

Chazutsu

A chazutsu is a container used for storing tea leaves.Tea is sensitive to humidity, light, air, and heat, so proper storage is important for maintaining its quality.In Japan, tea canisters have traditionally been made from a variety of materials, including metal, wood, and lacquerware.Because it is something you use every day, choosing a tea canister that feels good in the hand and is enjoyable to use can also add to the experience of making tea.

Chasaji

A chasaji is a small tea scoop used to transfer tea leaves from a tea canister into a teapot.It can also be used as a simple guide for measuring a serving of tea.Tea scoops are made from materials such as bamboo, wood, and metal. Though small, they help bring a sense of rhythm and care to the process of preparing tea.

Start with a Kyusu and Yunomi

You do not need to own every piece of teaware to start enjoying sencha.
To begin, all you really need is:tea leaves, a kyusu, and a yunomi.
If you later want more control over water temperature, you can add a yuzamashi.If you become interested in gyokuro or high-grade sencha, you might try a hohin and smaller tea cups.And once you find a tea you especially love, you may want to choose a chazutsu to store it carefully.
Adding tools little by little is part of how the world of Japanese tea gradually opens up.

Japanese Teaware Selected by RAKUDA

At RAKUDA, we choose teaware that respects materials and techniques passed down in Japan while still feeling natural in contemporary life.

Above all, we look for pieces that make the act of preparing tea itself something you want to enjoy.

Riso Porcelain — Hohin and Tea Cups

These pieces are carefully made by craftspeople with a deep understanding of sencha.

At RAKUDA, we selected the hohin and tea cups for enjoying gyokuro and high-grade sencha slowly at lower temperatures.

The flat shape of the hohin gives the tea leaves space to open, while reducing unnecessary friction between them and allowing for a more careful extraction.

The Moon Surface series also has a distinctive tactile quality, with a slightly grippy, almost soft feel in the hand.

Paired with small tea cups, it is a set we recommend when you want to slow down and enjoy tea more deliberately.

The craftspeople themselves are also deeply knowledgeable about sencha. When we first met them, they brewed tea for us — and we still remember how remarkably good it was.

ARITA PORCELAIN LAB — Traditional Japanese Design for Contemporary Life

ARITA PORCELAIN LAB inherits the traditional techniques and motifs of Arita porcelain, while reworking them for contemporary life rather than simply reproducing the past.

For example, traditional floral motifs associated with Ko-Imari porcelain are simplified and reinterpreted with a more modern expression.

The result preserves the spirit of Japanese tradition while fitting naturally into contemporary dining spaces and interiors.

These are beautiful pieces of teaware and tableware designed to be used in everyday life, including vessels for tea and Japanese sweets.

Satsuma Tinware — A Tea Canister Made with Precision

A tea canister is designed to protect tea leaves.

If the lid and body do not fit precisely, outside air can enter more easily, which may affect the aroma and flavor of the tea.

For this reason, making a tea canister requires extremely precise adjustment between the body and lid.

Among the many objects made from tin, tea canisters are one of the clearest examples of a craftsperson’s level of precision.

Satsuma Tinware has preserved this craftsmanship for more than 100 years, and its works have also been presented as gifts to members of Japan’s Imperial Family.

Combining beautiful design with practical protection for the tea leaves, these canisters offer a way to experience Japanese tea culture not only when drinking tea, but also in the everyday act of storing and preparing it.

Nabeshima Kosen Kiln — A Dobin for Sharing Tea

Nabeshima Kosen Kiln is based in Okawachiyama, Imari, Saga Prefecture, where it continues the tradition of Nabeshima ware.

The beauty of this dobin lies in its soft, clear celadon blue.

Its gentle, jade-like color brings a quiet elegance to the tea table.

At the same time, with a capacity of around 550 ml, it is practical for sharing tea with family or friends.

It can also be used in a dishwasher and microwave under certain conditions, making it suitable not only for special occasions but for everyday use as well.