As with all unglazed ceramics, wash with warm water and a soft cloth only. Do not use washing-up liquid or put in the dishwasher. Pat dry with a towel and/or leave to air dry naturally. Hard water may cause limescale deposits to develop, in which case rinse the Yuzamashi with soft bottled water, then wipe with a soft cloth.
Yuzamashi
Tokoname Mogake
Hakusan
SKU
4125
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.
Beautiful Yuzamashi cooling bowl handcrafted by Hakusan Katayama III (b.1949) with his speciality Mogake seaweed patterning and a fetching green to black Yohen colour gradient. Perfect for preparing Gyokuro and Kabusecha that require a lower brewing temperature, as well as pairing with the matching Shiboridashi.
| Product | Yuzamashi water cooler, green |
| Origin | Tokoname, Aichi, Japan |
| Maker | Hakusan 白山 |
| Volume | 120ml |
| Dimensions | Ø9 x 4.5cm |
| Weight | 85g |
| Material | Ceramic |
| Finish | Unglazed (Yakishime 焼き締め ) |
| Decoration | Ombré (Yōhen 窯変 ), Mogake (藻掛け "seaweed wrapped") |
| Production | Potter's wheel (Rokuro 轆轤 ) |
| Artist mark | Signature on base |
| Packaging | Cardboard box |
Each piece is handmade and unique, therefore colour, volume, dimensions and weight may vary slightly
Yuzamashi 湯冷まし
High quality loose leaf teas, such as Gyokuro and Kabusecha, require a lower brewing temperature to bring out their sweetness, and the Yuzamashi – literally “hot water cooler” – does just that. To prepare tea in the traditional way: first pour the boiled water into the teacups to warm them up, then transfer the water into the Yuzamashi for further cooling before pouring over the tea leaves in the Kyusu teapot.
Tokoname-yaki 常滑焼
Pottery has been produced in the city of Tokoname, Aichi prefecture, as far back as the 12th century, and since 1976 has been protected as a Traditional Craft of Japan. Tokoname was the site of the largest and oldest of the legendary Rokkoyō (六古窯): the “Six Ancient Kilns” of Japan, and is celebrated for its iron-rich Shudei clay that turns a bright red after firing. When fired a second time in a reduction oven, the red Shudei turns black – another characteristic colour of Tokoname-yaki. Traditional Tokoname Kyusu teapots are unglazed on the inside, allowing the tannins in the tea to interact with the iron in the clay body, which is said to reduce astringency and highlight the sweetness of green teas. Another key feature of these Kyusu are the perfectly fitting lids, which are ground into the clay body after firing in a technique known as Suriawase.
Yōhen 窯変
Written as “kiln change”, Yōhen refers to the variations in colour and texture on the surface of ceramics that happen during the firing process. This is a feature found across various Japanese pottery styles including Tokoname, Shino, Bizen and Tenmoku. Within Tokoname-yaki, the typical two-tone Yōhen effect can be achieved by firing the ceramic item for a second time in a reduction furnace, but by partially burying it in rice husks or ashes, only the exposed part changes colour.
