The “Matcha Former” replicates the hand movements of a tea ceremony teacher.

Have you ever wanted to make yourself a beautiful cup of matcha but just can’t be bothered to properly whisk it like a tea master? Well, now there’s a new handheld device that’ll do all the whisking for you, and that’s not all — it’ll replicate the hand movements of a tea ceremony teacher while it does it.

The new product is called “Matcha Former Charaku“, and it was developed by Tokyo-based company Tzen — a clever blend of the words “tea” and “zen” —  which operates the Atelier Matcha Cafe in Tokyo’s Chuo Ward.

It’s puzzling that nobody thought to check the spelling of the word “foamer” before they decided to call it a “former“, but whether it was an intentional decision or not, the product’s Engrish name gives it a unique sense of Japanese charm, and it combines the words “cha” (“tea“) and “raku” (“ease“), which is appropriate for what it does.

In just ten seconds, this gadget will whisk up a frothy serving of green tea, saving your wrists the strain and cutting out all the hours of learning usually required to hone the special technique to achieve the right consistency.

The whisk’s unique mechanism was designed after researching the hand movements of tea ceremony masters, which are able to produce matcha with fine bubbles. The gadget replicates this movement by whisking in a vertical motion, but it’s able to whisk faster than a human hand, creating a creamier texture that the designers say many matcha drinkers will have never experienced before.

The electric whisk can be used to create traditional bowls of matcha, although you can pour the mixture over milk to create the most delicious matcha lattes as well.

The product was initially designed for staff at Atelier Matcha, who’ve been using it to whip up matcha drinks for customers since the cafe opened in August 2021. However, after receiving numerous requests from customers to make the product commercially available, Tzen decided to start up a crowdfunding campaign so they could manufacture the product on a larger scale.

The crowdfunding campaign, which is set to run from 1-31 July, has various tiers available, with prices starting at 12,600 yen (US$87.22) for the battery-operated machine only, which includes a 20-percent early-bird discount available to the first 10 people.

▼ The head is adjustable so it fits any bamboo whisk you might currently be using.

Sets that include the machine and a bamboo whisk are priced at 15,800 yen, which also includes a 20-percent early bird discount for the first 10 people. If you miss out on being one of the first 10 customers for either of these deals, there are still 80 of the machine-only sets on offer, priced at 15,800 yen each, and 50 of the machine-and-bamboo-whisk sets, priced at 19,800 yen.

There are various other tiers available, and on 2 July Atelier Matcha will be holding a special event from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., where customers can try their hand at using the whisk to whip up their own matcha beverage inside the cafe.

▼ To see the whisk in action, check out the video below, and try not to flinch when you see the words “Matcha Former” and “matcher lovers” on screen.

It’s a very Japanese product that will definitely come in handy for matcha lovers at home, and store owners who want to serve customers fast without compromising on quality. Because when you’re working with high-grade matcha from Japan on a daily basis, an electric whisk like this is worth the investment.

Cafe information
Atelier Matcha
Address: Tokyo-to, Ningyocho, Nihonbashi 1-5-8
東京都日本橋人形町1-5-8
Open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. (last order 5:45 p.m.)
Closed Tuesdays
Website

Related: Campfire Crowdfunding Campaign
Source, images: PR Times
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