Kyokko Kaida b. 1946

     The tea master, Sen no Rikyū, took it upon himself to carve his own tea scoops. The tea scoop is often considered the quintessential tea utensil used in a tea ceremony. Kyokko Kaida (b. 1946) carefully selects raw bomboo materials that possess intriguing characteristics or origins. The qualities of the bamboo itself inspire his tea scoops. Each piece has a poetic title and underscores the tea ceremony. The  antique shifuku—the silk bag used for storing the tea scoop—is the work of textile artist Shoko Ueda, Kaida's wife.