This Mino-yaki chasen kusenaoshi (茶筅くせ直し - matcha whisk reshaper) is designed to restore the shape of your matcha whisk and is glazed in a silvery grey with a vertical stripe pattern.
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.
Made by Meisen Kiln (明泉窯).
