Nankei Apricot Kyusu Teapot — White Clay 320ml

A Kyusu Shaped Like an Apricot

This kyusu was designed with the image of an apricot fruit in mind — gently rounded, calm in presence, and naturally balanced in the hand. Its form is intentional, created to pour smoothly and sit steadily during tea preparation.

Revived Taisho-Era White Clay

This teapot is made from a revived formulation of Shiro-doro (白泥), a white clay that became popular for kyusu during the Taisho era. Nankei recreated this historic clay with their own original blend, giving the surface a soft grey-beige tone that brings a quiet warmth to the table.

Unglazed Interior That Improves Tea Flavor

Like traditional kyusu, the interior is left unglazed. The fine texture of the clay softens bitterness and rounds the flavor of tea as it brews. Over time, the surface develops deeper character through use.

This is not simply a vessel for tea. It subtly improves the tea you brew.

Lid and Body Hand-Matched After Firing

After firing, the lid and body are carefully hand-ground together to ensure a precise fit and smooth pouring without drips. You may notice a slight reveal of the clay where this matching was done — a quiet sign of authentic kyusu craftsmanship.

Designed for Everyday and Guests

This kyusu comfortably pours:

• Four small teacups when guests visit
• Two generous cups for daily meals
• Full capacity: 320 ml

The Soko-ami Bottom Mesh That Makes the Difference

This kyusu uses a soko-ami (底網式) stainless steel bottom mesh — a design trusted by tea professionals and Japanese tea cafés for over 40 years.

Unlike small strainers near the spout, the entire bottom of the teapot is covered with a fine stainless mesh. This creates a wide filtering surface that allows tea leaves to fully open and spread.

This design offers several important advantages:

• Tea leaves expand freely for fuller extraction
• Fine leaves such as deep-steamed fukamushi sencha do not clog the strainer
• Water flows out smoothly with excellent drainage
• Leaves do not sit in leftover water, allowing the second and third infusions to taste just as good
• Tea residue is less likely to remain, making cleaning much easier

This bottom-mesh structure is one of the defining features that makes this kyusu exceptional.

Features

• Revived Taisho-era white clay (白泥) with soft grey-beige tone
• Unglazed interior softens tea bitterness and improves flavor
• Apricot-inspired shape for balanced, steady pouring
• Lid and body hand-matched for precise fit
• Stainless steel bottom mesh strainer
• Made by Nankei Pottery in Japan