Journal  /  2026.09.29

About our Chasen

Chasen

茶筅

A single piece of bamboo, carefully split, shaved and shaped by hand to make a tea whisk.

Go to how to use ↓

I
Takayama, Nara

Five centuries by hand

Takayama, in Nara, has been making tea whisks for more than 500 years. The tradition dates back to the Muromachi period, and the techniques have been passed down through generations of craftsmen.

The bamboo is selected, prepared, split, shaved and bound by hand. Each whisk is shaped according to the school of tea and the way it will be used.
Takayama Chasen is a nationally designated traditional craft of Japan.

One of the most important parts of the process is aji-kezuri — carefully shaving the inside of each tine so that it becomes thinner toward the tip.

That is a small detail, but it makes a difference when you actually use the whisk.


II
Two whisks

And so, a second whisk.

I wanted a whisk that could be used every day. A Takayama whisk is something special, and for tea gatherings or when you want to enjoy the full experience of traditional tea, it is difficult to replace.

But for the morning bowl, practice, or a cup of matcha while travelling, I wanted something I could simply pick up and use.

That is how the SALON DE MATCHA whisk came about.

We kept the traditional shape, but chose to make it for everyday use. We also had it independently tested for chemical residues before putting it on the market.

The decision was not only about how it looks. I wanted to know how it feels in the hand, how it works in the bowl, and how it holds up after repeated use.

Left: Takayama. Right: SALON DE MATCHA. At a glance, they look almost the same.
Inner shaping
TakayamaThinned toward the tip and bevelled on both edges.
Salon de MatchaShaved evenly, with a little thickness remaining.
Lower-cost whiskRough, and uneven in thickness.
Flex
TakayamaSupple, and even the sound against the bowl is soft.
Salon de MatchaVery slightly firmer, though it softens well once warmed.
Lower-cost whiskStiffer: some tines broke and spread apart with use.
The foam
TakayamaFine, small bubbles.
Salon de MatchaFine too, with slightly larger bubbles — you would hardly notice unless the two sat side by side.
Lower-cost whiskLarger, coarser bubbles, with much less foam.
Binding thread
TakayamaEven in thickness and properly tight.
Salon de MatchaFiner, but evenly and firmly bound
Lower-cost whiskUneven in thickness.
Scent & safety
TakayamaSmells only of bamboo.
Salon de MatchaSmells only of bamboo. (Third-party testing found no detectable PCP, a chemical historically used as a wood preservative.)
Lower-cost whiskOften carries a chemical odour, and the processing is never disclosed.
Best for
TakayamaTea gatherings, and special days with a treasured bowl.
Salon de MatchaThe everyday bowl, practice, and travel.
Lower-cost whisk——
The difference lives on the inside: how the inner tines curl, and where the shaving begins.

Before you buy a very inexpensive whisk

Price alone does not tell you everything about a tea whisk.

But there are a few things worth looking at before you buy one.

  • Is there a strong chemical smell when you open it?
  • Do the tines feel stiff rather than flexible?
  • Are the tines roughly finished or unevenly shaved?
  • Do the inner tines look loosely made or poorly bound?
  • After a few uses, do the tines begin to break or spread apart?

A whisk can look fine from the outside and still be very different once you look inside.

The inexpensive whisk we tested showed a much rougher finish, both outside and inside.

This is one of the reasons I wanted to show the comparison rather than simply talk about it.

III
How to use

Five steps

01

Soften

Before the first use

Fill the bowl with warm water and let the tines sit for 3 minutes. Turn the whisk gently so the water reaches the inner tines.

For the first use, give our whisk the full three minutes. It is slightly firmer than a Takayama whisk and softens as you use it.
02

Warm

Before every use

A quick dip in hot water is enough.

It helps the tines become more flexible and makes the whisking smoother.

03

Whisk

Water at 80–90°C

Add about 2g of matcha to a warm bowl, followed by 60–70ml of water. Whisk quickly from the wrist, back and forth.

There is no need to overthink it. Just whisk with care.

04

Rinse

Immediately after use

Rinse the tines gently with warm water until the matcha is gone.

Keep the handle and binding thread dry.

No detergent. No dishwasher. Never boil.
05

Dry, and leave it

Drying

Place the whisk on a Chasen Stand and let it dry completely in the shade, somewhere with good airflow.

Once dry, leave it there. There is no need to put it back in a box or bag.

With use, a few tines may eventually break. Handle the whisk gently and keep it dry.

IV
Choosing between them

One for the tea ceremony.
One for every day, everywhere.

For the traditional tea ceremony

A Takayama whisk is soft and delicate. It is the one we reach for when we want to enjoy the tradition.

For every day

The SALON DE MATCHA whisk is made for everyday life — your morning bowl, practice, travel, or making matcha with friends. Made to go wherever you do.

We independently tested the SALON DE MATCHA whisk for pentachlorophenol (PCP), a chemical historically used as a wood preservative. No PCP was detected, with a detection limit of 0.05 mg/kg.

Tested: September 2026

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