Suwada Blog
What Is Sukigi? Wooden Kama Supports in Japanese Tea
Sukigi are wooden supports used with a winged kama so the kettle is carried at its flange instead of by a gotoku. Learn how sukigi differs from gotoku and kirikake, why airflow matters, what a sukigi-gama is, and how Urasenke still teaches sukigi handling in both ro and furo practice.
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What Is a Mentori Furo? The Chamfered Brazier in Japanese Tea
A Mentori furo is defined by a chamfered upper edge around an open-front brazier form. Learn what mentori means, how it differs from Dōan and Mayu furo, why the Rikyū Mentori form is documented with Toyama ash, and why morphology must be kept separate from material and kettle-support structure.
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What Is a Benibachi Furo? The Mortar-Shaped Clay Brazier in Japanese Tea
A Benibachi furo is a clay tea brazier with a mortar-like body and semicircular fire window, named for its resemblance to a bowl used to grind red pigment. Learn how its form differs from Mayu and Dōan furo, why Toyama ash is a documented pairing, and how modern electric versions preserve the morphology.
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Japanese Soy Sauce Dispensers Explained: Shōyu-sashi, Sauce Dishes & Condiment Service
What is a shōyu-sashi? Learn how Japanese soy-sauce dispensers work with sauce dishes and condiment ware, and how modern designs from Hakusan Porcelain and Kikkoman changed the tabletop pourer.
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Japanese Donabe Explained: Clay Pots, Nabe, Rice Cooking & Care
Donabe are Japanese clay cooking pots used for hot pot, rice, soups and simmered dishes. Learn how Iga and Banko ware fit in, why medome is product-specific, and how to choose and care for a donabe safely.
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Japanese Rice Paddles Explained: Shamoji, Rice Serving & Miyajima Craft
What is a shamoji? Learn how Japanese rice paddles loosen and serve cooked rice, why their broad shape works, how materials differ, and how Miyajima shakushi became a regional woodcraft tradition.
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What Is a Tokiwa Furo? Gengensai's Iron Brazier in Japanese Tea
Tokiwa furo is an iron brazier favored by Urasenke’s 11th-generation Gengensai and documented with a matching Tokiwa kama made by Ōnishi Jōju in 1854. Learn how the dedicated Tokiwa board completes the system, which round ash forms suit it, and why iron does not mean “nagori only.”
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What Is a Ryukyu Furo? The Windowed Kirikake Brazier in Japanese Tea
A Ryūkyū furo is a rounded, windowed kirikake brazier form with a short body and long feet, historically made in iron and bronze. Learn what defines its shape, why the origin of its name remains uncertain, how it connects to matching kama and round boards, and which haigata are used with it.
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What Is a Joo Furo? Takeno Joo's Eyebrow Brazier in Japanese Tea
A Jōō furo is a large eyebrow-type clay brazier associated with Takeno Jōō, a key figure in wabi-cha before Sen Rikyū. Learn what defines its shape, how it connects to the Eiraku furo-making tradition, why it is treated as formal, and why its large visible ash field suits Toyama haigata.
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Do Japanese People Use Spoons? Renge, Saji & the History of Spoons at the Japanese Table
Traditional washoku is strongly chopstick-based, but modern Japanese dining absolutely uses spoons. Learn why spoons largely disappeared from classical Japanese meals, what a renge is, where metal spoons entered modern dining, and when you can expect a spoon today.
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Japanese Stacked Boxes Explained: Jubako, Osechi, Lacquer & How the Tiers Work
Jubako are Japanese stacked boxes strongly associated with osechi New Year food, but their history and use are broader. Learn how the tiers work, why lacquer is common, how jubako differs from bento and hakozen, and how to use one today.
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Japanese Chopsticks Explained: Hashi, Waribashi, Rikyu-bashi, Iwaibashi & More
Japanese chopsticks are not one single object. Learn the difference between everyday hashi, lacquered nuribashi, disposable waribashi, guest and kaiseki forms such as genroku-bashi and rikyu-bashi, celebratory iwaibashi, and serving or cooking chopsticks.
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