Kyusu Teapot & Japanese Teacups: A Buying Guide for Green Tea Lovers

In short: A kyūsu (急須) is the Japanese teapot for brewing loose-leaf green tea. For most people the best first kyusu is a side-handle pot of about 250–350 ml with a fine built-in filter. Pair it with a few small cups — yunomi for everyday tea, or small, wide cups for fine teas like gyokuro.

Why use a kyusu?

Japanese green teas, especially fukamushi (deep-steamed) sencha, have small, fine leaf pieces. A kyusu is designed for them:

• A fine filter inside the spout keeps leaves out of your cup.
• A wide body lets leaves open fully.
• A side handle lets you pour with one hand and tilt the pot to the last drop — which matters, because leftover water keeps steeping and makes the next brew bitter.

See Japanese Tea Types Explained for the right water temperature and time for each tea.

Handle styles

Style	Japanese	What it’s like
Side handle	yokode (横手)	The classic Japanese kyusu. Right-handed pours are natural; left-handed versions exist
Back handle	ushirode (後手)	Like a Western teapot; good for left-handers and bigger pots
Top handle	uwade (上手)	Bamboo or wire handle over the lid; often larger, for hojicha or bancha
No handle	hōhin (宝瓶)	A small open pot for gyokuro and fine sencha brewed at low temperature — cool enough to hold

Koto’s tip: Most side-handle kyusu are made for pouring with the right hand. If you’re left-handed, look for a “left-handed kyusu” or choose a back-handle pot.

Size

Size	Cups	Good for
150–200 ml	1–2 small cups	Gyokuro and fine sencha
250–350 ml	2–3 cups	Everyday sencha — the most useful size
400 ml+	3–5 cups	Families, hojicha, genmaicha, guests

Japanese tea is often served in small amounts and brewed several times, so a smaller pot than you expect is usually right.

Filter types

• Ceramic filter (sasame): many tiny holes in the clay behind the spout. Traditional and doesn’t affect taste; the fine type is great for most sencha.
• Stainless steel mesh (built-in, curved): very fine and good for deep-steamed sencha’s small leaf pieces. Easy to find and clean.
• Removable basket: convenient and easy to clean, but leaves have less room to open. Fine for beginners and for larger-leaf teas like hojicha.

Clay and famous kyusu towns

• Tokoname (常滑, Aichi): the best-known kyusu town. Its reddish, unglazed clay is iron-rich, and many tea fans say it gives sencha a rounder, mellower taste.
• Banko (萬古, Yokkaichi, Mie): known for purple-brown clay and durable pots; a long history of everyday teapots.
• Glazed porcelain (e.g. Arita, Hasami): smooth inside, doesn’t absorb flavor — good if you switch between different teas.

Koto’s tip: An unglazed pot slowly absorbs the tea’s aroma over time. Many people keep one unglazed kyusu just for sencha, and use a glazed pot for scented or roasted teas.

Choosing cups

Cup	Shape	Best for
Yunomi (湯呑み)	Tall, narrow, no handle	Everyday tea; stays warm
Kumidashi (汲出)	Wide and shallow, often with saucers	Serving guests; cools tea slightly faster
Small gyokuro cups	Tiny, thin-walled	Gyokuro and fine sencha in small sips

A light inside color shows off green tea’s color. Thin rims feel delicate; thicker cups hold heat. Buying cups in pairs or sets of five is traditional in Japan (sets of four are often avoided).

How to use and care for a kyusu

1. Warm the pot and cups with hot water first, then discard it.
2. Brew, then pour into each cup a little at a time, going back and forth, so every cup has the same strength.
3. Pour every last drop.
4. After use, empty the leaves and rinse with hot water. Avoid soap on unglazed clay — it can absorb the smell. A soft brush helps clean the filter.
5. Dry with the lid off so it doesn’t get musty.

FAQ

Can I use a kyusu for black tea or herbal tea? Yes, but a glazed pot is better if you switch between flavored teas, since unglazed clay absorbs aromas.

Can I brew matcha in a kyusu? No — matcha is powder that you whisk in a bowl. See How to Make Matcha the Traditional Way.

My filter is clogged. What do I do? Rinse it from the outside toward the inside with running water, and use a soft brush. Fine leaves are normal with deep-steamed tea.

Related

• Japanese Tea Types Explained
• What Is Hojicha?
• Japanese Gift Guide