Thick tea container

Known as chaire in Japanese, ceramic tea containers with fitted ivory lids are specifically used to hold matcha or powdered green tea, which will be served in the form of thick tea (koicha). Containers such as these are stored in custom-made brocaded silk pouches (shifuku) and carried into the tearoom in their pouches during thick-tea gatherings. After serving tea, the host displays the tea container together with the tea scoop and the brocaded pouch to be appreciated by the guests.