The Chakin
The chakin, or the tea-swab should be of the Hoda-weave to be suitable for practice in the Enshu-style of tea.
Hoda Weave Chakin Tea Cloth for Tea Ceremony
The chakin, or the tea-swab should be of the Hoda-weave to be suitable for practice in the Enshu-style of tea.
$8.00
| Weight | 50 g |
|---|
RJ (verified owner) –
If you have never used a chakin before this cloth, when dampened, is used to clean bowls used for matcha before and after the tea has been made. They pick up leftover tea and foam very nicely, and are easy to clean by scrubbing them under some running water. Boiling them with a little baking soda helps hold back stains that come with use and age.
This particular weave is specifically used in “warrior” style tea ceremony like the Enshu tradition. “Merchant” styles, like the Sansenke traditions, use a tighter weave, so be aware of the difference if you learn one of those styles. Effectively, they work exactly the same. Only the look is different.
Chakin are not as easy to find as other cloth tools, so it is wonderful that these are available for purchase.
Chakin are a very handy tool for keeping bowls tidy, and there are different ways to fold them if you want to add a little fun to your tea sessions. I think they are worth trying out even if you are not into tea ceremony.