Japanese tea pot, by Tachi Masaki. A famous tea pot maker in Japan. Known not only for his Banko Yaki (purple clay, which enhances particularly the flavor of green tea), but also for his one off pieces. Was at the store for literally three hours (I know I know, I'm kinda crazy) but I finally settled on this piece. Tea pots nowadays come in all shapes, patterns and colors but this one people tend to overlook. The work on it is amazing, the grey inside is unlike any other and the simplicity I love even more. For the past three years that I spent searching to replace the one I bought from Harvey Nichols (it broke), never have I come across one that even comes close to resembling this. From Masaki's own private collection himself, apparently made from a special kind of clay (no longer available today) which he had gotten from a friend at the time. It is an old piece and very rare, which he had kept until recently when he agreed to sell it to the owner of Hojo, so that makes a lucky me, yay!

For those looking to start with baby steps, you can still find a good selection of equally beautiful pieces(if not as rare and expensive) from the Tokoname collection, which are made more for the commercial market in Japan. It may not be a collector's dream tea pot, but you will still get the joy of tea making. If you don't know what I'm talking about, try it. It is literally the only little time you can make for yourself on a daily basis that can bring about an intimate kind of joy only you can learn to appreciate...