"Mai" Suikaen Chasen Whisk

Mai 舞 in Japanese means "dance", which is a playful way to see this gradient-threaded chasen whisking a bowl of matcha. The colors appear to change when viewed from different angles. Made by Suikaen, this whisk is perfect to put you in a joyful state of mind connecting you better to your matcha ritual.

"White" bamboo 白竹 chasen have had their color removed through traditional, centuries-old techniques. They are made of a specific type of bamboo grown in the Kinki region of Japan (Nara, Kyoto, Osaka, Wakayama, etc) that is harvested in the winter after 2-3 years of growth, boiled to remove oil in the plant, dried in the cold winter air, then aged for another 2-3 years. During this process the green color of the bamboo fades into the "white" color of bamboo.

This chasen is made in Takayama, the historical home of matcha whisks with roots tracing back five centuries. About 90% of all tea whisks (chasen) in Japan are made in this area. Suikaen in Takayama traces its roots back to the 16th century and is one of a few studios preserving the tradition of whisk crafting. The head of the studio is its 25th generation master craftsman Tanimura Yasuburo.