Chasen - Matcha Whisks
Hand-carved from a single piece of flexible yet robust bamboo, the Chasen whisk is used to blend powdered Matcha with hot water. Chasen with 80 to 120 tines are suitable for regular matcha or Usucha tea, while those with 60 to 80 tines are used to prepare thick Koicha tea, as drunk during formal ceremonies.
White Bamboo Matcha Whisks
The ideal starter chasens, these whisks are suited for traditional Matcha preparation as well as for alternative preparations of Matcha (Matcha lattes, for example). The more fine bamboo strands (pondate) a chasen has, the easier it is to prepare Matcha with a fine foam. Chasens made of white bamboo are particularly favoured by the Japanese tea school Urasenke 裏千家.
Black Bamboo Matcha Whisks
An alternative to classic white bamboo with a more rustic appearance, chasens made of black bamboo are often preferred in the Omotesenke 表千家 tea school. Black bamboo, also called purple bamboo, is so named due to the black, purplish colour of the bamboo stalks after about two years of growth.
Ceremonial Matcha Whisks from Takayama, Nara
The city of Takayama in Nara Prefecture is considered the origin of chasen and still accounts for the majority of production within Japan; this traditional craft was a skill only taught within the family for centuries. To date, only 20 families are registered as official producers.
Matcha Whisk Holder (Chasen Yasume)
A holder which serves to care for the chasen while also contributing an aesthetic touch to Japanese tea ceremony. To prevent the chasen from losing its cylindrical shape after repeated use, it should be placed on the chasen yasume (茶筌休め; chasen resting place) after cleaning.
