Located in the Uji region of Kyoto prefecture: Japan’s historic centre for tea cultivation, the Asahiyaki kiln has kept its fires burning for over 400 years, counting samurai to the reigning Imperial Family as clients. Established by Tosaku I on the cusp of the shift from the Momoyama to the Edo period, the kiln earned the sobriquet “Asahi” from none other than the celebrated tea ceremony master, Kobori Enshu. Not only do Asahiyaki continue to produce traditional matcha ceremony utensils, but since the 19th century as interest in sencha grew, they have also specialised in delicate porcelains for enjoying fine leaf teas. Most of their collections are fired in gas kilns, however a wood-fired climbing kiln is also in operation, affectionately named Gen'yō, which was built in 1975 as the world's first smokeless ascending kiln.
Japanese Tea Set
Kahin Seiki
Asahiyaki
SKU
5623
Yoshi En has recently grown out of Sunday Natural to become an independent premium tea store. As part of this transition, some products may still be shipped in Sunday Natural packaging.
Elegant four-piece Japanese tea service with handleless hōhin teapot, yuzamashi cooler and two kumidashi tea cups in an aqueous “kahin seiki” blue celadon glaze that evokes the clear waters of the Uji river in Kyoto, where the 400-year-old Asahiyaki kiln is based along its picturesque banks.
| Product | 4-piece Tea Set |
| Maker | Asahiyaki, ASAHIGAMA standard |
| Origin | Uji, Kyoto, Japan |
| Material | Porcelain |
| Glaze | Celadon |
| Dimensions | Hohin: Ø10 x 7.5cm (excluding spout) Yusamashi: Ø9.8 x 5.5cm Kumidashi: Ø8.5 x 5cm |
| Volume | Hōhin: 150ml Yusamashi: 150ml Kumidashi: 60ml |
| Weight | 550g |
| Strainer | 150 hole ceramic strainer |
| Artist's Mark | Seal to base |
| Packaging | Cardboard box |
Each item is handmade therefore sizes, colour and glazing may vary slightly.
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Written in the kanji as “treasure jar,” the hōhin, as its name implies, is used to brew the finest tea leaves, and is the connoisseurs' vessel of choice for preparing Gyokuro or Kabusecha. Like a small kyusu teapot without a handle, it is a descendant of the Chinese gaiwan, and cousin to the flatter shiboridashi. However, like a kyusu, hōhin typically have a wider spout incorporated with a strainer. Often made of fine porcelain, this means they lose heat quickly, making them perfect for brewing and re-steeping small quantities of delicate high-grade teas that require a lower temperature. For this reason, the hōhin can be handled without a handle.
Yuzamashi 湯冷まし
High quality loose leaf teas require a lower brewing temperature to bring out their sweetness – and the yuzamashi: literally “hot water cooler,” does just that. Traditionally, boiling water is first poured into the tea cups to warm them up, and then into the yuzamashi where the water can cool down further before coming into contact with the tea leaves in the kyusu or hōhin.
Kumidashi 汲み出し
The Kumidashi is a short, light, handle-free teacup traditionally used to serve sencha during senchadō: the Japanese leaf tea ceremony (as opposed to matcha powdered green tea). Kumidashi with a mouth that spreads outwards is particularly suitable for high-grade teas as the shape allows the aroma to be released.
