Sometimes our guests ask us “what is the difference between Kyo-yaki and other potteries ?”
We reply “Every potteries made in Kyoto is Kyo-yaki, and each studio has own style. In case of Shunzan-gama, our style is characterised by elegance designs and decolation techniques”
For example, this small tea pot. The pot is suitable for high quality green tea such as Gyokuro, which should be brewed with hot water of law temperature (60 degrees C) in order to bring out Umami (or amino acid) . Since the hot water is not too hot to hold the tea pot, the pot doesn’t need handle. However, for safety sake, there are buttons in both sides so you can hold the pot easily. As it looks as a part of branch of the plum tree, you may not realize the buttons until you hold the pot.
Making the pot requires combination of techniques both paint and decolation, which we are proud of.
I usually have Houjicha (roasted green tea) at meal time. For roasted green tea, we brew with hot boiled water, so I use an another type of tea pot which is called Dobin.
You can find variety type of Japanese tea at Japanese tea shop named “Ootanien” on the Imagumano shopping street, Higashiyama, Kyoto. My favorite is Kuki-Houjicha.(or stalk-roasted green tea)
玉