A traditional whisk used in the Japanese tea ceremony to froth matcha tea. A whisk, also known as a matcha whisk, is handmade from a single piece of bamboo. Precise cuts create flexible “hair” that are gently bent at the bottom and joined at the top and finished with a special wooden handle. Chasen is best used to prepare and drink matcha (matcha). The cup’s vertical walls and wide base make it easy and comfortable to “beat” the matcha in water and quickly produce a layer of foam on the surface. It should be remembered that the temperature of the water in which the matcha is prepared must not exceed 80 °C.
Tips for whipping matcha:
It is best to start whisking the matcha slowly, gently scrubbing the chasen “hair” over the bottom of the bowl, so that all the matcha mixes well with the water. Then move the chasen higher, closer to the surface, and for about 10 to 20 seconds, start a more vigorous movement, like the letter W or M. It is worth remembering that only the wrist needs to be used for mixing, not the whole hand, which gets tired faster. A thin layer of foam should soon appear on the surface. The perfect tea mousse is made possible by the many flexible bamboo tendrils. The more whiskers, the easier it is to get the so-called “Jasper mousse”, the perfect foam layer. For best results, the whisk should be soaked in hot water before use and rinsed after use. Chasen shrinks as it dries, becoming brittle and susceptible to damage, which is why it is a good idea to store it on a special whisk stand (naoshi).