Suikaen

SUIKAEN (翠華園) has a rich history of tea whisk (Chasen 茶筅) craftsmanship, and is now lead by Tanimura Yasaburo (谷村弥三郎), the 25th generation chasen master who carries on his family’s legacy.

Located in the village of Takayama, where the highest quality chasens are made, from locally grown bamboo, as they have been since the 16th century, the atelier has inherited the skills and techniques of chasen whisks and is still refining traditional craftsmanship.

SUIKAEN chasens are handcrafted without any chemicals. After a winter sun-drying process and an additional two-year natural drying period in a warehouse, bamboo is carefully selected and transformed into a delicate tea ceremony tool. A traditional chasen craftsman follows approximately 8 steps: Haratake (原竹), Katagi (片木), Kowari (小割), Aji-kezuri (味削り), Mentori (面取り), Shita-ami (下編), Ua-ami (上編), Shiage (仕上げ).