A Chasen is not a kitchen tool. It is a hand-crafted precision instrument made from a single bamboo node, split into up to 120 tines without a single break, shaped by steam and finger pressure into a three-dimensional geometry that has changed little since the 15th century.
For a skilled master in Takayama — the Japanese Chasen village — making a world-class Chasen takes two to three hours. More on the Matcha tradition: Matcha Tea.
Takayama: A village that supplies the world
Takayama (高山) is not a well-known name outside tea circles. It is a small village in the Ikoma mountains of Nara Prefecture, and it produces 70–80 percent of all Chasen worldwide. Production there has been documented for over 450 years. The founding legend places 1478 as the year when Takayama Minbei began making Chasen on the orders of the shogunate, to serve the tea masters of the Ashikaga shogunate.
Today, around 50 active Chasen craftspeople still work in Takayama — a number under significant pressure since Matcha's popularity outside Japan began to surge. Global demand for Chasen is growing faster than Takayama's production capacity. The result: mass-produced pieces from China, made from fresh (non-aged) bamboo with machine-split tines, are entering the market — recognisable, once you know what to look for. Our Matcha selection is curated accordingly.
Susudake: The material that matters
Traditional Chasen from Takayama are made from susudake (煤竹, "smoke bamboo") — bamboo culms stored for two to three years or longer in the roof spaces of old Japanese farmhouses, where smoke from the kitchen hearth circulated continuously. The smoke curing transforms the bamboo's structure: it draws out moisture, closes the pores, and increases both density and flex strength.
Susudake is darker than fresh bamboo — from golden-brown to near black, depending on smoke exposure. It splits less readily and bends more flexibly under stress than young bamboo. That makes it ideal for tines that face mechanical stress with every whisking motion.
The problem: old Japanese farmhouses with smoke-blackened roofs (minka) are increasingly rare. Susudake is a historical material that depends on a historical building type. Good susudake commands rising prices. Some Takayama craftspeople now work with cultivated, intentionally smoked bamboo as an alternative.
The prong hierarchy: which Chasen for which tea
Chasen come in different prong counts for different applications — not every Chasen suits every Matcha:
16-hon: Coarse, for beginners or demonstration purposes. Produces little foam, poor emulsification. Not recommended for premium Matcha.
36-hon: Standard for Koicha (thick tea, paste consistency). Thick, stable tines that withstand stirring a dense mass without breaking.
80-hon: Standard Usucha Chasen. A good balance of foam quality and durability.
100-hon: Premium Usucha. Finer foam, somewhat more delicate. The preferred tool of experienced Matcha drinkers.
120-hon: Barista standard for Matcha lattes. Maximum emulsification quality for combining with milk foam.
The general rule: more tines equals finer emulsification, but reduced durability. For everyday home use with Usucha, 80-hon is a sound compromise. For Koicha, 36-hon is the only real option. For a specialty barista context, 120-hon is the right tool.
Use and care: what determines lifespan and performance
Three routines measurably extend a Chasen's lifespan (more context: Matcha in Daily Life):
Before use: Soak the Chasen in warm water for 30 seconds. This hydrates the bamboo fibres, increases tine flexibility, and prevents micro-cracks on the first stroke. Shake off the water before whisking.
After use: Rinse thoroughly under running water — never with soap. Tea oils on the bamboo are desirable. Soap residue would attack the bamboo fibres.
Storage: Rest it on a kusenaoshi (穂直し), the mushroom-shaped Chasen stand. The stand holds the tines in their correct geometry and prevents deformation during drying.
UNESCO recognition and the paradox of popularity
In 2019, the Chasen craft of Takayama was recognised as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage of Japan (国指定重要無形民俗文化財). Its connection to UNESCO runs through the framework of "Washoku" (Japanese cuisine and food culture), inscribed in 2013, which includes the Chasen as an essential part of tea ceremony practice.
The paradox: the greater the recognition, the greater the demand — and the greater the pressure on Takayama's 50 remaining craftspeople. Inexpensive Chasen from China (fresh bamboo, machine-split, €5–8) coexist on the market with hand-crafted pieces from Takayama (€40–80). Anyone who makes good Matcha feels the difference immediately: the Takayama Chasen emulsifies more precisely, lasts longer, and simply feels different in hand.
It is ultimately the same principle as with Matcha itself: buy less, buy better.
