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A technique passed down from father to only one son

The "chasen" is a tea ceremony utensil for whisking green tea. It is used to mix the green tea powder and hot water in the tea cup to achieve an even distribution.

Takayama chasen are a traditional craftwork from the town Takayama in Ikoma City, Nara Prefecture.
The roots of Takayama chasen go back to the Muromachi era. It is said that the first chasen in the shape of today's Takayama chasen were made by the second son of the lord of the Yamato Takayama castle. From tea ceremony masters Murada Jukou to Sen no Rikyu, chasen creation flourished with the popularity of tea ceremony, and today, as then, Takayama chasen are entirely hand made by craftsmen. Yamato Takayama produces over 90% of all chasen made in Japan.
For 500 years, the techniques of Takayama chasen were passed down from father to one single son in Yamato Takayama only. Even after the end of the Takayama family line, the family retainers fiercely preserved the "from father to son" legend of their masters, and, even while working to prevent the leaking of their secrets, they continued to diligently pass down the advanced techniques.
Because of its high quality, it is easy to simply treat the chasen - a utensil for whisking tea - as a consumer item. But the chasen, carved exquisitely in places to a thickness less than that of paper, is beautiful and will entrance viewers as a craftwork too.

Tea ceremony is one of Japan's famous cultural traditions. It is the entertaining of guests with green tea, following a traditional, set pattern.

There are two basic varieties of tea ceremony: "koi cha" and "usu cha". Originally, koi cha was a formal style, with usu cha being a simplified, more common version born later.

Koi cha, also called "okoi", involves making tea for a number of people (usually about five) in a single bowl, and then passing that bowl from person to person. For koi cha, three teaspoons of green tea per person is considered appropriate. As this is about twice the amount used for usu cha, it is said that the tea is kneaded rather than whisked. (It is thick to drink.)。
Usu cha, also called "ousu", is whisked in a separate bowl for each person. About one-and-a-half teaspoons of green tea are used for each person. Onto this, hot water is poured and the resulting mixture whisked. According to the school of tea ceremony, the rituals and methods of whisking differ.

In the case of "koi cha", the term "knead" is used rather than "whisk". The color and flavor are both rich and thick. The manner of passing the tea bowl is called "sui cha", and is considered to have been started by tea ceremony master Rikyu. Rough-tined chasen such as tsujo, chu-araho, dai-araho and shin (kazuho) are used.

The whisking method varies according to the school of tea ceremony. Even if we just consider the Sansenke schools, the Omotesenke proscribes just a small quantity of bubbles, while the Urasenke school requires a lot of bubbles.
The school that whisks the least bubbles is the Mushanokojisenke.
Fine-tined chasen such as tsujo, tsuneho, kazuho, 80 pondate, 100 pondate, 120 pondate and shin (kazuho) are used.

Depending on the number of tines, the names and methods of use of the chasen are different.
For koi cha, chasen with rough tines, and for usu cha, chasen with more tines are typically used.

Chasen are differentiated according to variety of bamboo, tine shape, tine number, thickness of bamboo, length of bamboo, thread color etc.

Tea ceremony, made successful by Sen no Rikyu in the Anzuchi and Momoyama eras, was carried on by Sen no Rikyu's descendants after his death, and the Omotesenke, Urasenke and Mushanokojisenke schools, known together as the Sansenke schools, were born.
Around the Sansenke, other schools formed. Different varieties of chasen were used depending on the purpose and tine count etc. proscribed by the school, and these varieties too expanded to become the over one hundred varieties that exist today. Remembering the differences in schools is an important first step for making chasen, but to truly be called a craftsman, one must be able to subtly alter the spring in the tine tips according to the qualities of the bamboo being used, and make the hundreds of different varieties of chasen.

2- or 3-year-old hachiku bamboo, which is very hard and fibrous, makes good material. Bamboo harvested in November and December is boiled, cleaned of oil and dirt, bleached in the winter sun until it becomes white, and put into storage.

An initially white bamboo used in Japanese houses, but colored by smoke from fireplaces to become brown. Today, thatched roofs are becoming less common, and so the natural material is hard to obtain.

Bamboo considered good for chasen is said to be that taken from the mountains of Hyogo, Nara, Kyoto, and other areas on the Pacific Ocean side of the Kinki region. This is because the soil in that area is low in nutrients, causing the bamboo there to grow strong and be perfect for making sturdy chasen.
That Edison used Japanese bamboo for the filament of the world's first light bulb is well known, but in fact that bamboo was madake bamboo from Hachiman City in Kyoto, very near Takayama.

The sixteen segments are alternately divided into large and small segments to make the number of tines required for the intended purpose and school.

The ends of the tines are boiled in hot water and placed on a stand, then thinned from the base to the tip.
Varying the carving method according to the chasen's shape, after carving to the right thickness the tips of the tines are bent inwards to create a tapered brush-shape.
It is said that the flavor of the tea changes depends on the ajiーkezuri stage. It is the most difficult, important stage, and a test of the craftsman's true worth.

One by one, the thick tines of the carved chasen have their corners worked until they are smooth. This prevents the tea sticking to the tines during the tea ceremony.

The beveled thick tines are raised and bound with thread, spreading them while leaving the thin tines in place.

Another layer of thread is added to securely fix the base.

The inner tines are gathered in the middle with a bamboo spatula and arranged to fix the size of the chasen, and the heights and intervals at the roots are made uniform.

The bends in the tips of the tines are corrected and arranged into their respective shapes, and the lengths of and the intervals between the tines from the roots to the tips are adjusted..

Born into a household of chasen makers with a pedigree spanning generations, and recognized at a young age by the Minister of Commerce and Industry with a qualification for the preservation of a craft.
Recognized again in 1987 as a traditional craftsman by the Minister of International Trade and Industry, and awarded a commendation in 1999 by the same.
Engaged in the training of pupils and chasen research and development, and acknowledged as being reliable and highly skilled with results at the top of the field.

Sun-dried bamboo　
The sight of bamboo intended for chasen drying in the sun reminds one of Takayama in winter.

In recent years, overseas-made, cheaper chasen have spread, but there have been many cases of these using high quantities of toxic substances such as preservatives and anti-mold agents. In Japan, however, after drying for over a year bamboo harvested in winter, preservatives and anti-mold agents are not used because the bamboo will be made into chasen. Consequently, Japanese-made chasen are safe for your body. Because chasen are used in hot water which is then ingested, we strongly recommend safe Japanese-made products.
In addition, in the production stage in which the tines are thinned, the tines on a Japanese chasen are carved one by one by a craftsman

using a small knife. Because those made overseas are sharpened with a file or rasp, however, fine imperfections remain in the surface of the tine tips. This makes them fragile and easily broken.

The traditional crafts designation mark is the proof of a safe, Japanese-made product.

Formal Nodate parasols (big parasols for Japanese outdoor tea ceremony) used by the head families of tea ceremony is the proud of Hiyoshiya.
The Nodate umbrella , as the top-class of Kyoto craft, was developed under the background of "Wabi/Sabi" (the beauty to be found in poverty, simplicity and quiet) as a request from grand tea courses.
The orthodox style of Hiyoshiya Nodate parasols are also used in the welcoming ceremony for VIP guests from various countries like Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana.

The "Nodatekago" Set, the most suited to enjoying tea outside. Will be enjoyed as a gift too. Because the chasen and other utensils are a size smaller than those normally used, they are convenient and portable. Just as you already enjoy tea and coffee outside, if you have this set, hot water and matcha (green tea powder), you can easily enjoy Japanese tea anywhere too. How about something different today: a Japanese tea time?

The traditional Tenmoku glaze. The delicate oil droplets bring out the beauty of this container.

Pure Japanese-style bamboo in gold foil. With a lid made exclusively from lacquer, this is a rare item with a gallant impression.

Yellow coloring done in the Iraho method gives this cup a deep flavor. The materials also adds to the expression.

Red, white, and gold plum tree carefully painted on the relaxed and expressionistic foundation for a high-quality tea bowl.