Handcrafted in Tokoname, Aichi prefecture Japan, this Mogake style teapot was made with gyokuro and light steamed asamushi sencha brewing in mind. The teapot was wrapped with seaweed, causing the salt from the seaweed to oxidize with the clay making a unique pattern on the teapot. Since gyokuro should be brewed at a lower temperature and with double the amount of loose leaf (usually the most expensive green teas available), the use of this special set is ideal for gyokuro enthusiasts, allowing multiple infusions from the same gyokuro leaf.

How to Brew Gyokuro - Step-by-Step Instructions!

The set is intentionally made very small, holding just 60-80ml of water. The lid fits the inside of the teapot wall perfectly and is tilted to whatever degree the brewer would like the gap to be to pour efficiently, eliminating the need for a filter basket. With perhaps the exception of deep steamed green tea, this tea set could also be used for other green teas.

About the maker Hakusan Katayama III

Mr. Hakusan was born into a family with a long standing pottery tradition in Tokoname, Aichi prefecture, a region famous for its outstanding pottery, and he studied under his father Tadayoshi's tutelage. He is a member of the Japan Sencha Crafts Association, and the Tokoname Hand-made Teapot Association. Mr Hakusan has won numerous national prizes for his pottery.

Handcrafted in Tokoname, Aichi prefecture Japan, this Mogake style Hōhin teapot was made with gyokuro and light steamed asamushi sencha brewing in mind. The teapot was wrapped with seaweed, causing the salt from the seaweed to oxidize with the clay making a unique pattern on the teapot. Since gyokuro should be brewed at a lower temperature and with double the amount of loose leaf (usually the most expensive green teas available), the use of this special set is ideal for gyokuro enthusiasts, allowing multiple infusions from the same gyokuro leaf.

This teapot matches perfectly with our mogake yuzamashi water cooler and mogake teacup.

How to Brew Gyokuro - Step-by-Step Instructions!

The teapot is intentionally made very small, holding just 135 ml of water. The lid fits the inside of the teapot wall perfectly. There is a very well made and thought out spout and the pour is smooth.  This teapot is suitable for any gyokuro or light steamed green tea.  You could probably use it with most medium-steamed green teas though you might get some clogging on the ceramic inner spout.  Not suitable for deep steamed green tea as the fine, dust-like leaf particles.

About the maker Hakusan Katayama III

Mr. Hakusan was born into a family with a long standing pottery tradition in Tokoname, Aichi prefecture, a region famous for its outstanding pottery, and he studied under his father Tadayoshi's tutelage. He is a member of the Japan Sencha Crafts Association, and the Tokoname Hand-made Teapot Association. Mr Hakusan has won numerous national prizes for his pottery.

Handcrafted in Tokoname, Aichi prefecture Japan, this Mogake style Yuzamashi watercooler was made with gyokuro and light steamed asamushi sencha brewing in mind. The watercooler was wrapped with seaweed, causing the salt from the seaweed to oxidize with the clay making a unique pattern on the teapot. Since gyokuro should be brewed at a lower temperature and with double the amount of loose leaf (usually the most expensive green teas available), the use of this special yuzamashi watercooler is ideal for gyokuro enthusiasts, allowing multiple infusions from the same gyokuro leaf.

How to Brew Gyokuro - Step-by-Step Instructions!

The set is intentionally made very small, holding just 135 ml of water. The lid fits the inside of the teapot wall perfectly. There is a very well made and thought out spout and the pour is smooth.  This teapot is suitable for any gyokuro or light steamed green tea.  You could probably use it with most medium-steamed green teas though you might get some clogging on the ceramic inner spout.  Not suitable for deep steamed green tea as the fine, dust-like leaf particles.

About the maker Hakusan Katayama III

Mr. Hakusan was born into a family with a long standing pottery tradition in Tokoname, Aichi prefecture, a region famous for its outstanding pottery, and he studied under his father Tadayoshi's tutelage. He is a member of the Japan Sencha Crafts Association, and the Tokoname Hand-made Teapot Association. Mr Hakusan has won numerous national prizes for his pottery.

Measures approximately 4.5 cm high, 7.5 cm x 10 cm wide, and holds about 140 ml

Handcrafted in Tokoname, Aichi prefecture Japan, this Mogake style yunomi teacup was made with gyokuro and light steamed asamushi sencha brewing in mind. The Japanese cermamic teacup was wrapped with seaweed, causing the salt from the seaweed to oxidize with the clay making a unique pattern on the teapot. This cup matches our Mogake shiboridashi, Mogake Hōhin, and Mogake yuzamashi water cooler perfectly.

How to Brew Gyokuro - Step-by-Step Instructions!

The cup is intentionally made very small, holding just about 40 ml of water, perfect for sipping perfectly made expensive gyokuro.

About the maker Hakusan Katayama III

Mr. Hakusan was born into a family with a long standing pottery tradition in Tokoname, Aichi prefecture, a region famous for its outstanding pottery, and he studied under his father Tadayoshi's tutelage. He is a member of the Japan Sencha Crafts Association, and the Tokoname Hand-made Teapot Association. Mr Hakusan has won numerous national prizes for his pottery.

Organic gyokuro Haruto is a new variety of gyokuro that was only registered about 6 years ago and is relatively rare on the market. It is only grown by a handful of farms in Kyushu, with our particular gyokuro grown in Shibushi City, Kagoshima Prefecture. It is harvested earlier in the season than typical and the risk of frost damage is high. Because of the difficulty in growing it, the fact that it's a very new and rare breed, it's unlikely you will encounter this very often in the future.  We had the opportunity to carry it this year, we tried it, and we were quite impressed.

This particular gyokuro is a very high quality green tea that has won awards in Japan. It is a variety with elegant sweetness and umami with dark green tea leaves.

As you may be aware, there are not a lot of organic gyokuro green teas that are what you would call superb, but Haruto is an exception to that general trend. Yes, the price is a bit more expensive than your regular sencha green tea, but considering that less than 1% of all green tea is grown and harvested as gyokuro, and even more rare an organic one that's this superb, that's just how it rolls with a tea of this caliber. 

We find this tea to be very delightful with complex, strong umami notes and after taste. Thoroughly delicious when brewed correctly, probably best made in a shiboridashi teapot with care. As with all gyokuro, it is shade grown for about three weeks before harvesting, giving it a greener color and sweeter taste.  Once you learn to make it properly, you wil be hooked for life!

This is not really a beginner green tea, care must be taken when brewing. Be sure to read our brewing instructions as it is brewed differently than sencha: How to Brew Gyokuro - Step-by-Step Instructions!

Organic gyokuro Haruto is available in 100 gm packages.