Tokoname Teapot Fitting

This Saturday (7.12) we will become the Tokoname tea version of Olivander’s Wand shop in the world of Harry Potter. We will have all of our Tokoname pots out for you to examine, feel and wield to find what perfectly fits your hands and brewing style. All of the pots we’ve sourced are handmade one-of-a-kind pieces, with a few vintage ones made by artisans no longer with us. The event is free, please come between 3-5pm. And to top it all off we’ll be offering a 15% discount on all Tokoname pots purchased during the fitting as a little Holiday bonus!

Just like the wand to a wizard, the teapot is the most important tool for a tea brewer – the type of clay affects the flavor, the shape affects aroma, the feeling in the hand affects brewer’s control and comfort, the aesthetics affects the experience. Tokoname ceramics have become one of our favorites for its diversity, artisanal quality, usability and price, but with hand made ceramics – every pot is as unique as the human wielding it. With this in mind during our recent trip we went to Tokoname to source a variety of different pots, of all different shapes, sizes and productions, for this very event – our Tokoname Tea Pot Fitting!

We found unique pieces using different processing methods including the classic Shudei (朱泥) red clay, low oxidized Shudei black clay, Ryokudei (緑泥) green clay and a beautiful rare Koudei (黄泥) yellow clay pot as well as more intricate methods such as Yōhen (窯変) and Nerikomi (練り込み).

When asked by our customers what kind of clay we recommend for those early on their tea journey, our easy recommendation is Tokoname clay-wares. Tokoname for us lies in the perfect intersection of usability, quality, consistency and price. Unlike many clay pots like in Yixing, Tokoname clay is formed to be a less porous fine grain, meaning that it does not absorb (and give off) the flavor notes of brews prior – making it useful for those who just want a single tea pot. However it is porous enough to share the sweetness of the teas that came before. And of course in this day in age, cleanliness of clay is so important, and in comparison to Chinese pots in its price point, we feel much more confident in the quality and cleanliness of the clay.

We’ll be happy to share more on Saturday, see you at the Fitting!