Meet Tanimura Tango:

20th-Generation Master of a 500-Year Tea Whisk Legacy

In the quiet mountain village of Takayama in Nara—where bamboo forests sway with centuries of history—stands a family that has carried a single craft through over 500 years.
The Tanimura family, guardians of the Japanese chasen (tea whisk), has passed its techniques from father to eldest son in an unbroken line—isshi sōden, the tradition of “one heir, one transmission.”

When Tanimura Tango inherited the title of 20th-generation master, he felt the immense weight of history resting on his hands—and deep gratitude for the ancestors who shaped this legacy.

The Art of Opposites:

Tanimura’s Philosophy of Balance

At the heart of the Tanimura craft lies one uncompromising principle:

“A tea whisk must be both incredibly easy to use, and incredibly durable.”

But these two qualities are fundamentally at odds.

• To create a whisk that moves gracefully and whips matcha with ease,
  the tines must be shaved as thin as possible.

• Yet thinning the bamboo weakens durability.

Navigating this contradiction—making bamboo both flexible and strong—is the core difficulty of chasen-making.
And achieving this balance at the highest level is what the Tanimura family has perfected over half a millennium.

Chasen-making is often called “shitō geijutsu” — the art of the fingertips, because almost every step depends on the sensitivity of a master’s bare hands, a small knife, and intuition—the kind of intuition only earned through generations.

Tango’s work dances on that razor-thin line:
the moment just before a tine becomes too thin,
the perfect curve before it loses strength.

It is in this delicate threshold that his artistry lives.

The chasen he creates is no longer merely a tool—

it is a work of art.

🏯 A Legacy Honored by Japan’s Tea Masters

The excellence of the Tanimura craft is recognized at the highest levels of Japanese tea culture.
Tango crafts the very same whisks supplied to the Urasenke and Mushanokōjisenke Grand Tea Masters—two of the three major tea schools of Japan.

He also serves as the Chairman of the Nara Takayama Chasen Cooperative, continuing the preservation of this irreplaceable cultural heritage.

Coming to America in 2026:

The West Coast Chasen Tour (Hosted by Nara Tea)**

For the first time, in 2026, Tanimura Tango will bring his craft to the United States.
Nara Tea is honored to host his West Coast Tour, offering a rare opportunity for tea lovers, artisans, and cultural enthusiasts to meet the master himself.

Visitors will experience:

• Live chasen-making demonstrations

• Insights into 500 years of tradition and technique

• Hands-on learning about tea utensils

• Matcha preparation using his handcrafted whisks

• Limited-edition works available only during the tour

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness living Japanese craftsmanship and history.

Stay tuned for official dates and locations—Nara Tea is proud to bring this legacy to America.

Tango Tanimuta Tour Information