Among tea ceremony practitioners, chasen are seen as ‘consumables’, with the expectation that they will eventually wear down over time and need to be replaced. However, with the right care, these whisk can last for many years. Here are some important tips to keep in mind:
Always soak the chasen before using it
Soaking a chasen in warm or hot water for a few seconds softens the tines, making them more flexible, which in turn lets them whisk tea better and makes them less likely to break. In fact, it has been reported that bamboo is 20% stronger when wet. It is common for new whisks to experience 'fraying' or 'splinters'. Bamboo frays more or less depending on natural conditions such as humidity, but these small pieces of bamboo should pull off rather easily when the whisk is soaked in hot water.
Chasen with curled tines are will unfurl with first use. This is a intentional aspect of these styles.
Be careful while whisking
While the chasen will inevitably contact the bottom and the sides of the bowl while whisking, it is important not to use too much pressure to avoid scraping the tines roughly against the chawan, especially if it has a rough glaze.
Clean it gently right after use
After use, be sure to clean your chasen by whisking it in a bowl of water or running it under the tap, using your fingers or a cloth to remove any matcha that has stuck to the tines. Avoid soaps as these can enter and damage the porous bamboo. Stand the whisk up with the tines in the air and let it air dry thoroughly before storing it. This will ensure that the tines keep their shape longer and prevents mould growth.
Reshape as necessary
If the tines have lost a lot of their shape, you can re-splay and reshape them using a kusenaoshi, or matcha whisk shaper. While these are often sold as chasen stands, we prefer not to dry or store our whisks on them as the lack of airflow around the tines slows drying, which in turn can lead to mould growth. Additionally, the continual stress endured by the bamboo can cause it to become weaker.
We prefer using a kusenaoshi by pressing it gently but firmly into the tines while they are wet, causing them to splay, then removing the kusenaoshi and allowing the whisk to dry normally
Store correctly
Always store the whisk standing up to ensure that the tines aren’t under any pressure which could cause them to weaken or deform over time. It is also worth noting that bamboo expands and shrinks according to humidity, and if the air is too dry, the whisk can crack.
You can watch our care guide video here.
