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Susudake Chinese Chashaku

Chinese tea allows for more freedom in the design of its utensils than does Chanoyu (Japanese Tea Ceremony). Toru Hatsuta's hand carved Chinese Chashaku, have a small scoop and a narrow, tapered end. They were made as a hybrid of traditional Japanese tea scoop and a Chinese tea utensil so it can be used both for scooping matcha powder or with a chasoku for transferring Chinese tea to the pot.

The Chashaku are made using rare "susudake" bamboo. which is old ceiling bamboo from traditional Japanese homes that have slowly coloured due the smoke of the "irori" hearths over many decades. As the bamboo is often bound by ropes the exposed area take on a dark hue while the bound areas remain lighter. The resulting contrasts creates beautiful one of a kind patterns on the bamboo. Each pieces was further decorated with gold leaf.

Toru Hatsuta
A native of Tokyo, Toru Hatsuta began learning the art of bamboo craft in 2002. Within years, his pieces were recognized for their exquisite craftsmanship and beauty and selected for exhibition. To this day, Hatsuta-san continues to produce small sale, delicately crafted bamboo wares and utensils for tea ceremony at his studio in central Tokyo. Often working with old bamboo that has been colored naturally with age, his work is inspired by the technical and aesthetic sensibility of old bamboo artists and antique bamboo wares.