The history of tea is a long love story, spanning centuries, dynasties, and continents. Just as you'll find books dedicated to the history of tea, you'll find tea sets and teapots in museums. That's how deeply tea is rooted in tradition! While traditional accessories vary slightly from country to country, when we think of "traditional accessory," we tend to picture a beautiful, old-fashioned teapot rather than a fancy electric kettle with LED lights and all the bells and whistles!

You have to store your tea somewhere! While individual packaging is very common nowadays, it's worth remembering that this is a fairly recent phenomenon. In the past, tea leaves were stored in containers made of tin, lacquered wood, porcelain, ceramic – or even aluminum.

The gaiwan is a typical Chinese tea accessory. It's essentially a covered cup designed to better infuse delicate teas (like white or green tea) than a simple teapot. That said, the gaiwan can be used for any type of tea. Because the brewing vessel is smaller, the water also cools down more quickly.

This accessory is a Japanese classic. It can have a very simple look, somewhat like a gravy boat, but the yuzumashi can also take on elegant or adorable forms, in different materials and colors. Its purpose: to help cool the water after boiling, so that it reaches the proper brewing temperature!

Halfway between a kitchen whisk and an outdoor rake, the chasen is traditionally made of bamboo and is used to whisk matcha. In Japan, matcha has a whole range of traditional accessories: the matcha spoon (chashaku), the designated container (natsume), and of course the chasen and the chasen tate, where the chasen is placed.