Raku Chawan Starter Set

Ideal for budding matcha enthusiasts and tea ceremony initiates alike. The tea bowl is an iconic, handbuilt Raku chawan: a symbol of Japanese aesthetic philosophies and tea culture. The chakin is handwoven in a strong Hoda-ori weave, traditionally used by tea masters who were members of the samurai class. The tea itself is the exquisite work of a 17th generation farmer, showcasing the elegance of Uji matchaThe set contains: Aka or Kuro Raku chawan (matcha bowl) - made in Japan by Enraku (円楽)  Dark Bamboo Shin Chasen (matcha whisk) - made in China Dark Bamboo Chashaku (matcha scoop) - made in Japan Handwoven Hoda-ori Chakin (tea cloth) - made in Japan Stainless Steel sifter - made in China 20g can of Kiku-no-Sono matcha - grown in Uji by Yoshida Meichaen Also included are: How to Make Matcha instructional card A little surprise Gift Box Care and Use Instructions Because of their porosity, raku chawan are very 'soft' and delicate. Before its first use, we highly recommend soaking the entire piece in warm water for 30 minutes, allowing water to enter and tighten the gaps in the clay, before air drying it completely. For additional strengthening, rice water (the cloudy water left when washing rice) can be used, with the tiny rice particles helping fill the gaps in the clay. Be sure not to let the bowl soak for too long as the clay might begin to soften.   For each subsequent use, soaking for a few minutes is all that is needed. At first the bowl will produce a clay odour, but this will disappear with time and repeated use. Due to their porous nature, raku chawan should only be used for preparing matcha and not for holding any type of food.