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You don't need a tea ceremony, special skills, or a cupboard full of gear to drink green tea the way Japanese families do. A small teapot, a few cups, and one simple trick with the water. That's really all it takes, and you can do it in your own kitchen tonight.
Here's how we make it at home in Japan, step by step, and what to get if you'd like to try.
Tea, every day
I have a kyusu, a small Japanese teapot, and I use it every day. Not only when guests come over. Whenever someone wants a short break, the kettle goes on and we all sit down with green tea.
Why a pot and not tea bags? In Japan, green tea usually comes as loose leaves in a can. You scoop out a spoonful, and one pot makes tea for several people at once. The kyusu is the tool for that.
Try it at home: sencha for 2 or 3 people
- Leaves: about 1½ tablespoons (4–6 g) into the kyusu.
- Cool the water in the cups first. Pour just-boiled water into the teacups, not the pot. This brings it down to about 70–80°C (160–175°F).
- Steep: pour the water from the cups into the kyusu and wait 30 to 60 seconds.
- Pour a little into each cup, in turns. Go back and forth between the cups so every cup gets the same strength. In Japanese this is called mawashi-tsugi.
- Pour out every last drop. The last drops are the richest, so don't leave tea sitting in the pot.
The one rule I'd pass on: never pour boiling water straight onto the leaves. Sencha tastes best at around 70–80°C. Pouring the water into the cups first cools it to just the right temperature, and it warms the cups at the same time, so the tea stays hot once you pour it.
What to look for in a kyusu
- A built-in strainer, so the loose leaves stay in the pot.
- A small size. Around 300 ml is right for two or three cups, and you pour it all out each time.
- A side handle. That's what makes it a kyusu. You pour with one hand and hold the lid with the other.
Two kyusu
If you'd like to try the steps above, either of these will do the job. Both are ceramic, both are a good size for two or three cups, and both have a strainer.
Arita Ware Kyusu, Karakusa Tsuzuri
Picked for a first teapot, with color
A small Arita ware (Imari style) teapot with a scrolling vine pattern. Arita is a pottery town in Kyushu, in southwestern Japan.
- Capacity: 10.8 fl oz (about 320 ml)
- Listed as Arita ware, made in Japan
- Strainer included
- I haven't tried this one.
Kyusu with Stainless Mesh Filter, Tokoname-yaki (IPPINKA)
Picked for a plain, quiet pot
Tokoname is a pottery town near Nagoya known for teapots. This one comes with a fine stainless steel mesh filter.
- Capacity: 300 ml
- Ceramic, with a stainless steel mesh filter
- Listed as Tokoname-yaki
- I haven't tried this one.
Cups to go with it
A yunomi is smaller than a mug. You pour a little, drink it while it's hot, and pour again. Since you also use the cups to cool the water, it helps to have one cup for each person.
Mino Ware Yunomi, Tokusa, Set of 2
Picked for everyday cups
Mino ware comes from Gifu, in central Japan, where a large share of Japan's everyday tableware is made. This pair has a ribbed (tokusa) texture that's easy to hold.
- Set of 2
- Height 3.7 in, 4.8 fl oz each
- Listed as Mino ware
- I haven't tried this one.
Arita Imari Yunomi, Zen Leaf, Set of 2
Picked for a pair that matches the Arita pot
Two Arita ware cups. They go well with the Arita kyusu above.
- Set of 2
- Listed as Arita Imari ware, made in Japan
- The listing doesn't give the size.
- I haven't tried this one.
Start with just the pot
Start with the kyusu. Any cups you already own will do for now. Pour the boiling water into your cups first, wait a moment, and then make your first pot. That small habit is what changes the taste, and once you've tried it, you'll notice.