Handmade Gaiwan, Shiboridashi and Hohin - the far eastern tea tradition

First class tea is characterized by its unique aroma. In order for this special aroma to unfold in the best possible way, appropriate teaware is needed. We at Keramik-Kartell.de meet this requirement and produce our handmade tea bowls, shiboridashis and hollows according to the Asian model in loving detail work. For our tea bowls (jap. Chawan, 茶碗) we have prepared the clay for an extra long time before we use it for the production. To ensure that our handmade tea utensils are in no way inferior to their Far Eastern counterparts, we have made the first Chawans, Shiboridashis and Hohins with great attention to detail. We have compiled more information about chawans and a more detailed insight into Asian tea culture.

In the Far East, tea has a tradition going back thousands of years and has become an integral part of the soul of the culture. China and Japan have each developed their own tea ceremony, using a wide variety of tableware. From tea type to tea type a different crockery is used or a different pot for each tea type. It is easy to imagine that there is an incredible variety of handmade tea bowls, potted chawans as well as raku chawans and twisted teapots. Gaiwan, Shiboridashi and Hohin are the most widely used tea bowls in China and Japan and are best suited for aromatic green tea and high quality Oolong tea!

Gaiwan, Shiboridashi and Hohin are tea bowls made of clay or porcelain with a lid. Hohin and Gaiwan differ only in their origin. The Gaiwan, sometimes called Zhong, is a Chinese tea bowl and the Hohin is the Japanese counterpart. Hohin means, by the way, freely translated as "magic bottle", that is not by chance! According to Far Eastern tradition, the filling volume of handmade tea bowls is very small, ranging from 100 millilitres for Shiboridashi to around 250 millilitres for Hohin. It should also be mentioned that traditional handmade tea bowls do not have a handle or grip.

Tea needs space to develop its full aroma. It should float freely in the water and not be locked in bags or even tea eggs. But since it is also too precious to throw away after an infusion, Japanese potteries in particular have come up with an idea.

It all starts with the right tone. Clay and porcelain are the same up to here, because porcelain is made of clay. We have written an article in which we explain to you what the difference between ceramics and porcelain is - so if you want to know more, you are welcome to read it. Let's get back to the original material. The clay used for the fine teaware has a decisive influence on the later result. It is extracted from deep layers of the earth and rests for several years. From time to time it is turned and kneaded so that the microorganisms can act on it as freely as possible. In this way, the once lean mass is transformed into an interspersed, rich clay. Only this clay is used by Keramik-Kartell.de, because only this supposedly old clay produces the best tea bowls. There are also differences in the colour of the clay and different areas of use. Red clay, for example, is particularly suitable for black tea due to its high iron content, as it binds the bitter substances and generally makes the tea softer. This red can go as far as black, depending on the iron content of the clay. But brown or black clay also has its advantages for handmade tea bowls and is in turn used for other types of tea. All handmade tea dishes have in common that you should never wash them with soap, but only rinse them with water. Due to the glazed and therefore smooth surfaces, Gaiwan, Shiboridashi and Hohin are especially suitable for tea enjoyment. On the one hand it is possible to look at the tea without any problems and on the other hand the taste and aroma of the tea remains unchanged.

A Shiboridashi is mainly characterized by its flat, disc-shaped form. It has no classical spout and no integrated sieve. The only concession is a slightly bevelled rim with a serration on it. It takes some practice to be able to handle it without spilling or even burning your fingers. The best way to do this is: push the lid a little to the side so that a small gap is created. This should not be too big, otherwise the precious tea leaves will be poured off with it. The gap must also be large enough to allow the tea water to drain off cleanly. The smaller, the better, especially as one also reduces the risk of scalding oneself with the hot escaping steam at the back of the opening. After the lid is bevelled, put your thumb and middle finger around the shiboridashi while your index finger fixes the bevelled lid. Now lift and pour. The flow of tea from the pot is particularly homogeneous and soft from a Shiboridashi. The aromatic smell of the tea is already present at this point. It is best to practice this with cold water once or twice before you start preparing the tea.

A Hohin or Gaiwan is rather high and cylindrical in shape. Because of this shape it generally has a higher capacity than a Shiboridashi teapot. The Hohin tea bowl is also something for beginners, then thanks to its integrated sieve on the inside it is much easier to handle. This retains coarser pieces of crumbly tea as well. The lid or the inside of the pot has holes in the Hohin and lies firmly in a groove on the tea bowl, making it easy to pour. The lid or the inside of the pot is provided with holes and lies firmly in a groove on the tea bowl, making pouring out easy. When pouring the tea the flow of tea is not as homogeneous as with Shiboridashi and it requires some practice, but it is worth it. Because the Hohin is easy to use in everyday use even without fully concentrating on it.

As Gaiwan, Shiboridashi and Hohin as traditional handmade tea bowls do not use an external tea strainer, such as a tea egg or bag, the teapots themselves have a positive effect on the aroma and taste of the tea. Loose tea balls floating freely in water can unfold better and release their ingredients more easily. They are also very practical, as no other accessories (tea bag, bowl for the tea bag and spoon) are needed, thus protecting the environment and making it possible to do without a tea tray.

A glazed Hohin is ideal for the preparation. Tea varieties such as high-quality Sencha and Gyokuro can be brewed as well as more everyday teas such as Bancha. The process is always identical: First, the handmade tea bowl is preheated with hot water. Now a large quantity of loose tea is placed in the tea bowl with a wooden spoon and poured hot. This should be done slowly and in a controlled manner, preferably with a yuzamashi (clay pot for cooling the water after boiling). The filling level is about two thirds of the respective Shiboridashi or Hohin. Especially with green tea the temperature of the water must not be too high, otherwise the tea becomes bitter. Likewise, green tea should be brewed with the lid open. Dark tea, on the other hand, can brew with the lid closed. Traditionally, each tea may only steep for a short time after the infusion before being poured into another tea bowl. This tea bowl resembles a plate or a flat bowl. In this bowl the tea should be allowed to cool down briefly and the smell and colour should be checked. Finally, the tea is transferred to the serving bowl and then drunk from it. Since the tea is used for several infusions, the lid must be removed from the infusion bowl. In this way, the tea leaves left in the tea bowl remain fresh and are not affected by the steam.

In the purification of Shiboridashi and Hohin, the Japanese and Chinese are way ahead of us. The used tea bowls are simply rinsed with clear water and wiped with a clean cloth. Afterwards the tea bowls dry in the air until they are needed again. It is best to put them aside closed. The simple design makes the inside of the handmade tea bowls easy to reach and clean and prevents loose tea leaves from getting caught. Never wash a handmade tea bowl with soap or even scratch it out with sharp objects. The patina on the inside helps filter the tea and removes phenolic bitterness that some teas can develop.