The Journal Design
Starting with a matcha set
A practical guide to the six pieces, your first bowl and caring for a bamboo whisk.
A bowl, a whisk and a small amount of green tea powder. Making matcha at home is a short process, and a complete set gives each step its own tool. The useful part is knowing what each piece does.
What is in the IKI set?
The IKI six-piece matcha set includes a ceramic bowl, a bamboo whisk, a ceramic whisk holder, a metal mesh sifter and two bamboo scoops. Matcha powder is not included, so you can choose the tea you prefer.
The bowl gives the whisk space to move. The sifter goes over the bowl before the water is added. The narrow, curved scoop lifts powder from its container; the deeper bamboo spoon offers another way to portion it. Neither scoop replaces a scale when you want an exact weight.
The holder belongs to the last step. After rinsing the whisk, give it a place to dry rather than returning it wet to closed packaging.
Your first bowl
For a clear starting point, Ippodo Tea's classic matcha method uses 2 g of powder, 60 ml of water at 80°C and roughly 15 seconds of brisk whisking. You can follow the full Ippodo preparation guide for its technique and advice.
- Measure the matcha and sift it into the bowl.
- Add the measured warm water.
- Whisk back and forth in a quick M-shaped motion.
- Drink it freshly prepared, or use your preferred latte recipe to combine it with milk.
A scale, a way to measure water and your chosen matcha are useful companions to the set. Start with the tea maker's own instructions if they give a different recipe. There is no reason to buy every accessory before you have made your first bowl.
Choose the bowl you will keep using
The IKI bowl has a simple round rim with no pouring spout. It is the direct choice if you like to whisk and drink from the same bowl. Five finishes are available: Espresso Brown, Tide Blue, Charcoal, Toasted Ivory and Ink Black. All five contain the same six tools.
If your morning matcha usually becomes a latte in a separate glass, the Glaze set has a small spout and a marbled bowl with a matching holder. It also includes six pieces, with a broad wooden spoon in place of the IKI set's deep bamboo measuring spoon. Read our guide to a spouted bowl before choosing.
Put it away dry
Wash the pieces gently by hand and rinse the whisk soon after use. Allow the bamboo to dry fully before storing it. A wet whisk sealed in a tube has nowhere for moisture to go.
The ceramic bowl and holder need the same ordinary care as other ceramic tableware: handle them gently and avoid sudden temperature changes. Our whisk care guide goes into the details.