The craft of making a quality tea whisk starts with Raw bamboo, known as genchiku, cut and scraped down to remove the skin. Then, a process called hegi occurs, where the stripped bamboo is split, bent, and cut away to form the splines of the whisk. The splines are then further cut down into 160 equal tines in a step called kowari, and then dipped into hot water, thinned, and shaped during aji kezuri. Incredibly intricate chamfering called mentori further refines the splines so that the matcha tea doesn’t stick to them, before threading (shitaami and ueami) reinforces the whisk and the base. The final step of the crafting process is koshinarabe, where the whisks' shape and form is solidified.
Care Instructions
For new whisks, we recommend soaking the whisk in a chawan bowl of hot water for approximately 2 minutes. The tines may unfurl slightly but this is normal.
Before each use, soak the whisk in warm water.
After use, soak the whisk in warm water and rinse with just water to remove all matcha residue. It is important that your whisk is clean before storage.
To dry, ideally place your whisk onto a holder. This will maintain the shape. If no holder is available then place the whisk on the end of the handle to dry on a towel or rack that will allow air flow.
Store your whisk in a cool dry place to enjoy for many uses to come.