Japanese TeaGuide
Kyusu: The Japanese Teapot Explained
A kyusu (急須) is a Japanese teapot, most often with a side handle, designed for brewing green tea such as sencha. The classic yokode kyusu has a hollow handle set at a right angle to the spout, so you can pour with one hand and empty the pot completely, which matters for Japanese tea. There are four main types by handle: yokode (side handle, the most common), ushirode (handle opposite the spout), houhin (no handle, for gyokuro at 50–70 °C) and dobin (top handle). The best-known centres of production are Tokoname, Banko and Mumyoi on Sado Island.
Why the handle sticks out sideways#
It looks like a design quirk. It isn't. The side handle lets you pour with one hand and tip the pot far enough to empty it completely, which matters a great deal with Japanese green tea.
| Type | Handle | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Yokode (横手) | Side handle at a right angle to the spout | Sencha, everyday use; the most common |
| Ushirode (後手) | Handle opposite the spout, like a Western pot | Larger volumes, bancha, hojicha |
| Houhin (宝瓶, also spelled hohin) | No handle | Gyokuro and fine teas brewed at 50–70 °C; too hot to hold with boiling water |
| Dobin (土瓶) | Top handle, often bamboo or wire | Large pots for hojicha, bancha |
The houhin has no handle for a simple reason. Gyokuro is brewed so cool that you can hold the pot itself.
The filter behind the spout#
Japanese leaf is small, and deep-steamed leaf is almost powder, so a kyusu has a fine filter built in.
| Filter | What it is | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Ceramic (sasame) | Fine holes pierced in the clay behind the spout | Classic look, most sencha |
| Ceramic mesh (full-wall) | Fine ceramic mesh covering the inside wall | Fukamushi and very fine leaf |
| Stainless steel mesh | Metal mesh insert or band | Fine leaf, easy cleaning; some prefer to avoid metal |
| Simple holes | A few larger holes | Coarse leaf, hojicha |
For deep-steamed fukamushi sencha, a fine mesh is almost essential.
Tokoname, Banko and Mumyoi#
| Centre | Known for |
|---|---|
| Tokoname (Aichi) | Red-brown unglazed clay, the classic sencha kyusu |
| Banko (Mie) | Purple-brown clay, often thin and light |
| Mumyoi (Sado Island) | Hard, dense red clay; high-fired and polished to a sheen |
Many are unglazed clay, which some drinkers feel softens the tea, as with Chinese clay pots. The Chinese side of that story is in my Yixing teapot guide.
Kyusu, gaiwan or Yixing pot?#
| Kyusu | Gaiwan | Yixing pot | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made for | Japanese green tea | Any tea | Oolong, pu-erh, red tea |
| Filter | Fine built-in | None (lid holds leaves) | Simple holes |
| Pouring | One hand, easy | Needs practice | One hand |
| Size | 200–350 ml typical | 80–150 ml typical | 80–200 ml typical |
A kyusu isn't only for sencha. It works for any Japanese tea, and for some Chinese greens. The gaiwan is the more universal tool, if you don't mind learning to pour it (how to use a gaiwan).
Choosing one#
- Size. About 200–350 ml for sencha for 1–3 people. For gyokuro go smaller, a houhin or 100–150 ml, since the volumes are tiny and a big pot does it no favours.
- Filter. Fine mesh if you drink fukamushi.
- Pour. It should pour cleanly and empty completely.
- Lid. Snug, no wobble.
- Handle. Comfortable in your hand; left-handed yokode pots exist.
- Material. Unglazed clay for character, glazed or porcelain if you switch teas often.
Looking after it#
Rinse it with hot water after use. No soap on unglazed clay. Empty the leaves and let it dry with the lid off, and if the filter clogs, clean it gently with a soft brush.
If you want an unglazed pot to develop, keep it for one tea family.
Drink Japanese green tea more than once a week? Then a simple Tokoname kyusu with a fine filter is the best teaware you can buy for it. Choose by filter and pour, not by decoration. What to brew in it is in my Japanese tea guide.
Questions people ask
What is a kyusu?
A Japanese teapot for green tea, usually with a side handle.
Why does a kyusu have a side handle?
For one-handed pouring and emptying the pot completely.
What size kyusu for sencha?
About 200–350 ml for one to three people.
What is a houhin?
A handleless kyusu for gyokuro and teas brewed at low temperatures.
Where are the best kyusu made?
Tokoname, Banko and Mumyoi on Sado Island are the best-known centres.
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