Shiratake Shin Chasen - White Bamboo Matcha Whisk

This shiratake (白竹) white bamboo Shin Chasen (matcha whisk) was made in Takayama, Nara by Ikeda Iki (池田壹岐). The shin (真) shape is one of the most popular due to its elegant curves, and is preferred by students of both Urasenke and Omotesenke schools of tea ceremony (though the dark bamboo is more popular with Omotesenke). Having roughly 64 tines, the shin chasen sits in between dedicated usucha chasen which have lots of thin tines, and dedicated koicha chasen, which have fewer but thicker tines. This makes shin-type chasen suitable both for whipping up a fine, foamy usucha and kneading a thick, rich koicha. Born in 1949, Ikeda Iki (池田壹岐) is a 7th generation chasen-shi, and is one of the only 16 or so remaining chasen masters. He makes chasen along with his wife, daughter, son-in-law, who is set to succeed him as chasen-shi. As is common in chasen crafting, the Ikeda-san cuts and shapes the bamboo, and his wife weaves the threads separating the inner and outer tines and does the final