Bank-yaki Kusenaoshi - Matcha Whisk Shaper
This Banko-yaki chasen kusenaoshi (茶筅くせ直し - bamboo whisk reshaper) is designed to restore the shape of your matcha whisk. The smoother light blue-green glaze allows the chasen tines to glide smoothly across it without snagging.
Often called ‘whisk rests’ (茶筅休) or ‘whisk stands’, (茶筅立) our preferred term for these tools is kusenaoshi (くせ直し) as they are primarily designed to ‘correct’ the shape of chasen, rather than for storage. To use a kusenaoshi, soak the whisk in warm water as you would when making matcha. Then, press the whisk into the kusenaoshi, gently but firmly, splaying the outer tines, and forcing the inner tines together as desired. Only do this with a wet whisk as bamboo becomes more pliable with heat and moisture.
While you can kusenaoshi to store whisks, we generally recommend allowing chasen to dry standing up so that no mould develops on the tines.
This product fits the outer tines of most chasen. To shape the inner tines of your chasen, you'll want a wooden whisk shaper.
Made in Japan. Ships from the United States.
Width: 8 cm (3.1 in)
Height: 8 cm (3.1 in)
Please note: our latest batch is more green than the current images on this product listings.
Banko-yaki (萬古焼) is a type of Japanese pottery that traditionally comes from Yokkaichi in Mie Prefecture, Japan. Its characteristic purple hue comes from the mixture of red oxidised iron and blue high temperature-baked iron in the clay.
