A Hohin is…

One of the most popular Japanese teapots. Hohin is a Japanese word that stands for a magical jar or treasure jar. It is a traditional teapot that is designed to offer a deep appreciation of the umami flavor, rich mouthfeel, of sensitive high -grade green teas.  Only slightly more complicated in construction than your workaday gaiwan, houhin’s incorporate the addition of a small strainer and spout. For a drink as broadly sipped and versatile as tea, there are unquestionably more vessels for its preparation than most of us can get our heads around. But whether you’re a gong-fu warrior or an absolute beginner, it’s useful to distinguish why each style of pot is different from another.

As the definitive tea ware for brewing high-grade green tea in refined style and moderation,  hohin teapots offer an authentic Japanese tea experience for serious enthusiasts. Since many of the top-tier green tea varieties like gyokuro steep best at temperatures of 140°F or lower, the hohin remains cool to the touch, which explains the lack of a handle. Because of this, you must hold the cup-like teapot in your hand, which requires that you use it only for low temperature green tea. In addition, the smaller single-serving capacity, fully concentrates the flavor and aroma of the costly tea leaves while letting you enjoy every last drop thanks to the well-designed pouring spout.

This Japanese teapot…

Is for nursing your soul rather than for satisfying your thirst because the capacity is somewhat smaller than a basic, kyusu (a general term, simply meaning ‘teapot’ in Japanese).  The pour spout is made in a special way that allows tiny tea leaves to be poured together with the tea water. It is said that the poured tiny tea leaves enhance the flavor of the tea.

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