Crafting Chashaku, Connecting with Tea
Hello everyone! This is Keko from the online staff. ☺️
When you prepare a bowl of matcha, how do you choose the chawan(tea bowl) or the chashaku (tea scoop) you hold in your hand?
Although our eyes are often captivated by a beautiful tea bowl, opportunities to quietly focus our attention on the tea scoop may be surprisingly rare. Yet, within the tea scoop that scoops the matcha and connects it to a single bowl of tea, the unique expression of bamboo as a material and the artisan’s handiwork quietly breathe.
On Wednesday, July 1,
we are delighted to host a special "Chashaku Crafting Workshop" alongside a "Katsura-gama Tea Utensil Exhibition & Sale" on the second floor of our Nakamura Tokichi Byodoin Store.
For this workshop, we welcome of Miki-Chikuzai-ten (Bamboo Specialty Store) . Under his guidance, you will hear fascinating stories about bamboo and chashaku, and craft your very own, completely original tea scoop.
Born from a Single Piece of Bamboo
A chashaku is an incredibly small and delicate utensil.
Yet, within that single piece of bamboo, the time the plant spent growing and the precise touch of the artisan’s shaving knife are permanently preserved.
The position of the node.
The natural flexibility of the stalk.
The expressions born from the way it is shaved.
Even if crafted from the exact same stalk, no two chashaku will ever be the same.
Our collaborator for this event, Miki Takezai-ten, is a bamboo merchant founded in 1877. Managing everything consistently from harvesting to processing and traditional installation—they have long continued to craft bamboo products that support Japan’s traditional arts, including Sadō (tea ceremony), Kadō (the art of flower arrangement), Kendo, Kyudo (archery), Shodo (calligraphy), and Kōdō (incense ceremony).
Their wide-ranging work spans architectural materials, bamboo fences, tea utensils, flower vases, culinary tableware, and even traditional toys like bamboo stilts (takeuma) and propeller toys (take-tombo).
Facing each single stalk of bamboo, they bring out its unique charm to give it form. In this workshop, you will discover the depth of making a tea scoop (chashaku) and hear stories about bamboo that only Miki Takezai-ten can share.
On the same day, a Katsura-gama (Katsura-kiln) Tea Utensils Exhibition and Sale will be held concurrently.
When enjoying a bowl of tea, the tea bowl (chawan) is an entity that does not just enhance the flavor, but creates the very scenery of that moment.
The expression of the clay.
The flow of the glaze.
The weight and warmth when held in your hands.
Just by changing the tea bowl, your perception subtly shifts, doesn't it?
Please take them in your own hands and enjoy finding your favorite, special bowl.
From the second floor of the Byodoin Store, where the event will be held, you can gaze upon the Uji River.
The wind sweeping across the river's surface.
The ever-shifting light.
The quietly passing time.
While gazing at the Uji River, within that very scenery, you will touch bamboo, craft a tea scoop (chashaku), and savor tea.
Along with the matcha served in Katsura-gama (Pottely kiln) tea bowls, we also prepare Maruto Bake Matcha [financier] and Kuki-Hojicha.
Rather than just looking at the utensils, you will actually use them, taste with them, and touch them. Through such a time, we would be delighted if you could feel the world of tea just a little closer to you.
Tea bowls (chawan) and tea scoops (chashaku) are entities that enrich a single bowl of tea. Why not focus your attention on the utensils just a little more than usual? We sincerely hope you will enjoy this day, which will serve as such an opportunity.
We look forward to welcoming you all to the event.
[Click Here to Apply]
【 Miki-Chikuzai-ten 】
Founded in 1877 (Meiji 13)in Kyoto. Over five generations, they have inherited the profound wisdom of ancestors who felt and learned about life through the growth of bamboo.
Handling the entire process seamlessly—from harvesting raw bamboo to processing and traditional installation—they dedicate themselves to preserving and evolving traditional Japanese arts, including Sadō (tea ceremony), Kadō (the art of flower arrangement), Kendo, Kyudo (archery), Shodo (calligraphy), and Kōdō (incense ceremony).
As a historic establishment, their work spans architectural elements, garden fences, tea utensils, flower vases, culinary tableware, and even traditional children's toys like bamboo stilts and propeller toys (take-tombo).
They are a historic bamboo craft studio creating a wide variety of items from bamboo, spanning from architectural materials and garden fences to tea utensils, flower vases, culinary tableware, and even traditional toys like bamboo stilts and propeller toys (take-tombo).
By managing every step of the process in-house, from harvesting the bamboo that is the raw material for Kyoto's renowned Kyo-meitake bamboo to processing and manufacturing, they create bamboo crafts that are unparalleled in their beauty and intricacy.
【 Chanoyu Pottery Studio - Katsura-gama（Katsura kiln】
Established in 1924 (Taisho 13) in the Rakusei area of Kyoto.A pottery studio that aligns with modern lifestyles and is drawing attention for its new design developments.
While creating Raku chawan (Raku tea bowls) that are loved even by the younger generation, they honor the traditional techniques and spirit left by their predecessors, continuing to craft Raku chawan that enrich the time spent over a single bowl of Matcha.
Technique: Using Juraku clay from Kyoto, each bowl is breathed into life solely through the hand-kneading technique (Tezukune) without using a pottery wheel, achieving a unique texture that gently fits into human hands.
Firing: Following a biscuit-firing at 900 degrees Celsius, the ultimate beauty is born through a once-in-a-lifetime (Ichigo-ichie) firing process, where each bowl is fired with utmost dedication amidst flames ranging from 800 to 1,200 degrees Celsius.