Meet the 24th generation

A few years ago, we had the privilege of visiting Takayama, a tiny village in the hills of Nara prefecture and the historic home of the bamboo chasen (tea whisk).

As a 24th-generation chasen maker, Mr. Sabun belongs to one of the very few remaining families still producing authentic Takayama chasen entirely by hand. Takayama itself has been at the center of chasen making for more than 500 years. Today, only a small number of master chasen makers remain in Japan, making this tradition increasingly rare.

Every whisk begins as a carefully selected piece of bamboo. Each tine is individually split, shaped, and finished by hand using techniques that have been passed down through generations for over five centuries.

Very few workshops remain in Takayama, and even fewer continue to produce chasen entirely by hand. Mr. Sabun is among the craftsmen quietly carrying this tradition forward with remarkable dedication and care.

His production is intentionally limited, reflecting the time and attention required to create each whisk to the highest standard. As a result, only a relatively small number of chasen leave his workshop each year.

Very few workshops remain in Takayama, and even fewer continue to produce chasen entirely by hand.

Mr. Sabun is among the craftsmen quietly carrying this tradition forward with remarkable dedication and care. His production is intentionally limited, reflecting the time and attention required to create each whisk to the highest standard.

As a result, only a relatively small number of chasen leave his workshop each year. Mr. Sabun's work stands as a testament to the enduring value of craftsmanship, tradition, and quality.

Crafted from carefully selected bamboo and shaped entirely by hand, these whisks possess a remarkable lightness and flexibility that can be felt immediately in use.