What is in a Japanese tea ceremony set, and what you need at home
By Mio.KShare
A "Japanese tea ceremony set" sold online usually has four to six pieces: a bowl, a bamboo whisk, a scoop, often a whisk stand and a caddy. A tea room uses many more. Knowing the difference tells you what you actually need to make a proper bowl of matcha at home, and what you do not.
The short answer: to make matcha properly at home, you need three things, a bamboo whisk (chasen), a wide bowl (chawan) and a bamboo scoop (chashaku). A sifter, a caddy and a whisk stand make it easier. A full tea room also uses a kettle, a fresh-water jar, a waste-water bowl, a ladle, a lid rest and cloths, none of which you need for a bowl at home.
I run Tomari (shoptomari.com), a small tea ceremony shop in Tokyo, and I study tea in the Urasenke school. Here is what each piece does, so you can tell a useful set from a decorative one.
What you need at home
| Piece | What it does | Needed at home? |
|---|---|---|
| Bamboo whisk (chasen) | Whisks the matcha into a smooth foam | Yes. Nothing else does the job |
| Tea bowl (chawan) | Gives the whisk room to move | Yes, or any wide, flat-bottomed bowl |
| Bamboo scoop (chashaku) | Measures the matcha; two scoops for one bowl | Yes |
| Sifter (furui) | Breaks up lumps before whisking | Helpful |
| Caddy (natsume) | Holds the day's matcha | Helpful |
| Whisk stand (kusenaoshi) | Holds the whisk's shape while it dries | Helpful; in a tea room it stays in the preparation room |
What a tea room adds
- Kettle (kama): an iron pot that heats the water.
- Fresh-water jar (mizusashi): a lidded jar of cold water for topping up the kettle.
- Waste-water bowl (kensui): where the rinse water from the bowl is poured. It is the last thing carried into the room and the first taken out.
- Ladle (hishaku): a long bamboo ladle for moving water between kettle, jar and bowl.
- Lid rest (futaoki): holds the kettle lid and the ladle.
- Cloth and paper: a white linen chakin to wipe the bowl, and kaishi, white paper kept folded in the kimono.
These belong to the way tea is served to guests. At home, a kettle and a cup of water do the same work.
How to tell a useful set from a decorative one
- Look at the whisk first. It is the piece that decides whether the matcha foams. A set built around a cheap whisk is the one to avoid. More in the best matcha whisk for beginners.
- Check the bowl is wide. The whisk needs room. A small, narrow cup will not work.
- Ignore the piece count. Ten pieces is not better than three if seven of them sit in a cupboard.
I go through sets in more detail in is a matcha starter set worth it.
Questions I get asked
What is in a Japanese tea ceremony set?
Usually a bamboo whisk, a bowl and a bamboo scoop, often with a whisk stand, a sifter or a caddy.
What do I need for the tea ceremony at home?
To make a proper bowl of matcha: a bamboo whisk, a wide bowl and a scoop. A sifter helps.
What is a kensui?
The bowl the host pours rinse water into. It is the last thing brought into the tea room and the first taken out.
Do I need an iron tea kettle (kama)?
Not at home. Water just off the boil from an ordinary kitchen kettle is enough.
Where this fits
The Starter Set is the three pieces that matter: a 100-prong bamboo whisk made in Takayama, Nara, a Mino-yaki bowl and a bamboo scoop. The Complete Tea Set adds a sifter and a caddy.
Written by Mio.K, who chooses everything in this shop by hand in Japan.