isingle-cultivar tencha · 30g tin
the okumidori reserve.
a rare okumidori, shade-grown in uji and stone-milled cool. sealed in a hand-finished tin of thirty grams — the first pour of a very small harvest.
$210
the collection, in full
every piece, at a glance.
the okumidori reserve.
$210a rare okumidori, shade-grown in uji and stone-milled cool. sealed in a hand-finished tin of thirty grams — the first pour of a very small harvest.
the matcha bowl.
$180a chawan with a broad, open well — raised to hold the heat and give the whisk room to breathe. the vessel every bowl begins in.
the takayama chasen.
$95one length of aged bamboo, split by hand into eighty fine tines. the tool that turns powder and water into something whole.
the bamboo scoop.
$70a chashaku cut from a single stem to carry one measure. the smallest tool in the ritual, and the most personal.
the hōjicha reserve.
$140a hōjicha roasted slow and drawn deep to amber. fifty grams, numbered by hand and made in a single seasonal run.
the whisk stand.
$85a quiet ceramic perch that lets the takayama chasen dry as it should — tines splayed, curl kept, ready for the next bowl.
the ritual of care
kept for a lifetime.
ceremonial tools are made to be used, and to last. cared for simply and well, a bowl, a whisk, and a scoop outlive the seasons. a short study in tending each one.
hand-thrown stoneware
the bowl
the vessel everything happens in.
the bowl is porous stoneware. good care keeps it unscented and sound, so nothing stands between the leaf and the bowl — the foundation of proper matcha bowl care.
the care
01
rinse with warm water only. detergent soaks into the clay and later returns to the tea; the bowl never needs it.
02
wipe the inside with a soft cloth and let it air-dry fully before it is stored, so no moisture sits in the foot.
03
avoid sudden temperature change — never pour boiling water into a cold bowl, which can craze or crack the glaze.
a word from the studio
warm the bowl with hot water before whisking. it holds preparation temperature, and over years seasons the glaze evenly.
caring for your tea tools — the complete guide
the bowl (hand-thrown stoneware) — care and maintenance
the bowl is porous stoneware. good care keeps it unscented and sound, so nothing stands between the leaf and the bowl — the foundation of proper matcha bowl care.
- rinse with warm water only. detergent soaks into the clay and later returns to the tea; the bowl never needs it.
- wipe the inside with a soft cloth and let it air-dry fully before it is stored, so no moisture sits in the foot.
- avoid sudden temperature change — never pour boiling water into a cold bowl, which can craze or crack the glaze.
studio note: warm the bowl with hot water before whisking. it holds preparation temperature, and over years seasons the glaze evenly.
the whisk (split bamboo) — care and maintenance
the whisk is split bamboo — the most delicate object in the set, and the one that most rewards correct handling. nearly all bamboo whisk maintenance comes down to how it is wetted and how it is dried.
- before each use, rest the tines in warm water for a minute so they soften and flex rather than snap.
- to clean the whisk, swirl it gently in warm water until the matcha releases. never use soap, a sponge, or a dishwasher.
- shake off the excess and set it to dry on its stand, tines open and downward, away from direct sun.
studio note: let it dry completely between uses on its stand. a whisk left damp or lying flat loses its curl — and its tines — within weeks.
the whisk stand (turned ceramic) — care and maintenance
the stand holds the whisk in its shaped curve as it dries, preserving the tine geometry and letting air reach every surface. it is quiet, and it does more for a whisk's life than anything else.
- set the whisk onto it immediately after rinsing, tines splayed over the dome.
- rinse the stand itself in warm water now and then, and dry it fully; ceramic asks for little more.
- keep it somewhere with gentle airflow and no direct heat.
studio note: placement is the whole point — a spot with moving air dries the whisk evenly, while a closed cupboard traps moisture and invites mustiness.
the scoop (carved bamboo) — care and maintenance
the scoop is unfinished bamboo, and water is its only real enemy. kept dry, it lasts a lifetime and takes on a quiet patina from the hand.
- wipe it with a dry, soft cloth after each use. it is never washed.
- if matcha clings, use a barely-damp cloth, then a dry one straight after.
- store it in its sheath or lying flat, away from humidity and heat.
studio note: keep it out of the sink entirely. a single soak raises the grain and can warp the fine tip that meters the powder.
the sifter (fine mesh) — care and maintenance
sifting breaks the clumps matcha forms as it rests, so it disperses evenly and whisks without a single lump. the fine mesh wants a light hand.
- tap out the residual powder and dry-brush the mesh with a soft brush.
- wash only occasionally in warm water, and dry it completely before storing so the screen never holds moisture.
- never force powder through under pressure — let the brush do the work.
studio note: sift directly before whisking, not in advance. matcha draws moisture from the air quickly once it leaves the tin.
the powder (matcha & roasted tea) — care and maintenance
matcha is alive to light, heat, air, and moisture, and it fades first in aroma, long before colour. to store ceremonial matcha well is to guard those four. roasted tea is more forgiving, but the same enemies dull it.
- keep both sealed and airtight, away from light and heat. refrigerate unopened matcha; once opened, keep it cold and sealed and drink it within weeks, not months.
- bring a chilled tin to room temperature before opening, so condensation never reaches the powder.
- for roasted tea, a cool dark shelf, sealed against air, is enough — no refrigeration required.
studio note: buy matcha in the amount you'll finish within a month of opening, and trust your nose: a flattening aroma is the first sign it's time for a fresh tin.