Shiboridashi 絞り出し shiboridashi

What it's for

The shiboridashi is the most minimalist of all Japanese teapots. It is essentially a shallow bowl with a lid and a pouring lip, holding only a single small serving. The name literally means to squeeze out, and the form is built for very high-grade gyokuro and tencha where you want full leaf contact with as little water as possible.

History

Shiboridashi developed alongside the houhin in the Meiji era as a more refined sibling. Where the houhin treats gyokuro as a small but normal tea, the shiboridashi treats it as something closer to a savory broth. The form is associated with sencha-do, the Japanese steeped-tea ceremony developed by Baisao and later codified in the late 19th and 20th centuries as a counterpoint to the matcha-focused chanoyu.

How to use

Use 5 to 6g of leaf in an 80ml vessel. Cool water to 40 to 50 C. Pour just enough water to cover the leaves and steep for 90 seconds to two minutes. The lid forms its own built-in strainer when tilted; tip the entire body forward and drain into a yuzamashi or directly into tasting cups. Each infusion yields a thimbleful of intensely savory liquor. Three to four infusions is the practical maximum.

Buying tips

The lid-to-body fit is the entire point of the vessel; if it does not strain cleanly, the design has failed. Buy from established Tokoname or Kyoto potters rather than generic imports. Avoid shiboridashi over 120ml, which defeats the purpose of the form. This is a specialist tool; do not buy one unless you actually drink high-grade gyokuro.

Variants

• porcelain Kyo-yaki shiboridashi
• Tokoname shiboridashi
• lipped vs spoutless designs

Best pairings

• top-grade gyokuro
• tencha
• competition-grade kabusecha

Teas to brew with this

• Gyokuro - Green Tea, Japan