hISTORY OF TAKAYAMA cHASEN
A Secret Skill
The chasen was created by Takayama Sosetsu, the second son of the lord of Takayama city in the Muromachi period. At that time, Murata Jyuko, who was a monk in the Shomyio-ji Temple in Nara and was regarded as the father of tea ceremony, entrusted his good friend Sosetsu to make a tool for stirring tea water when he tried to grind tea leaves into fine powder for drinking. Sosetsu elaborately designed and created the first chasen.
Later, the chasen was presented to Emperor Go-Tsuchimikado during his tour, who gave praise to the invention for its ingenious and delicate design, naming it "TAKAHO".
In the past, the technique of making chasen was passed on as a secret skill by 16 members of the Takayama Family. Afterward, as Sado (the tea ceremony) became popular following the "Sen no Rikyu", different schools flourished by making chasen in different shapes and styles.
steps for Creating your unique Chasen
There are many steps in order to create a Chasen, and the technique will also depend on the type and use (different schools) of Chasen. Everything is done by hand and needs years of years of practice. There are only a few persons left that hold this art knowledge.
STEP 1
片木－大割
Hegi Owari
Divide the peeled raw bamboo in half with a large knife.
STEP 2
片木（へぎ）
Hegi
Cut again in the middle until you reach 16 divisions.
STEP 3
片木－頭入
Katagi Head Shaping
From the edge of each string, separate the skin and body.
STEP 4
小割－頭入
Kowari Small division (head)
From the edge of each string, separate the skin and body.
STEP 5
小割－割く
Kowari Small division
Once you insert the knife in the split, separate carefully deeper to divide strings
STEP 6
小割－割く
Kowari Small division
You end up with 80 strings outside and 80 inside, for a total of 160.
STEP 7
味削－削り（あじけづり） Shichimi Shaving (Ajikezuri)
Boil the tip of the spline to soften it and gently scrape it so it becomes thinner.
STEP 8
味削－削り
Aji Kezu Taste shaving
The taste of the tea is said to change depending on this taste shaving which is the most difficult process in making chasen
STEP 9
味削－しごき
Remove of Sent (Shigoki)
After shaving it just the right thickness, curve it, so that it warps inward and shape it
STEP 10
面取＞下編
Mentori to Shitaami
Splines are now shaved individually to produce a 45˚ angle on each side; and knit it with a cotton thread
STEP 11
下編＞上編
Shita hen Jou hen
The thick splines opened in the second part are further reinforced by knitting around the base
STEP 12
腰並＞仕立
Koshinami Koshitate
Adjust the height intervals of the inner and outer splines and the roots to adjust the overall shape and complete the Takayama Chasen.
