Japanese Tea Ceremony

The Japanese tea ceremony is not just about the drinking of tea, it is a traditional art which includes philosophy, spirituality, behaviour and materialistic elements which has had a huge influence on Japanese culture. All the procedures and movements are standardised, each with its own meaning and unique place in the ceremony. You may not have half a day to spare for the formal tea ceremony but with this authentic and elegant tea set you can experience the essence of the art of the tea ceremony at home.

The Set contains:

• 1 x Bamboo Matcha Whisk
• 1 x Bamboo Matcha Scoop
• 1 x Guide & Information Leaflet

Equipment

Tea Scoop - Chashaku (茶杓), a tea scoop or tea spoon, is used to transfer the powdered tea from the tea container (chaki) to the tea bowl (chawan). Usually made of a narrow, thin piece of bamboo, although historically there were also made of wood or ivory and intricately carved. The soul of simplicity.

Tea Whisk - Chasen (茶筅) are bamboo whisks used to mix the matcha powdered tea with hot water. They are carved from a single piece of bamboo. There are differences in their style according to the type of bamboo they are made from, the shape of the tines, the number of tines, the thickness of the bamboo, the length of the bamboo and the colour of the thread that is woven around the bottom of the tines. This high quality whisk with 100 tines will create a deliciously smooth and frothy matcha.

How to clean

The whisk should be cleaned and dried after each use. To clean the whisk fill a bowl half-full of clean water and rotate the whisk. Or rotate it under the tap. Then rinse it gently with clean water. Please note that it is recommended to be washed with lukewarm water, never with washing up liquid. After rinsing stand it on its base so the tines are sticking up in the air (or return it to its holder, if you have one.)

Be sure to inspect your whisk before each use for broken tines. More for your own safety, remove any broken parts before whisking. It is usually best not to keep it in a plastic case (unless when you carry it) as it should be stored in a well-ventilated area. It is also best to avoid direct sunlight.

The scoop can simply be wiped with tissue paper.