Tips to Keep Tea Leaves from Blocking Your Teapot Filter

We are Shiha Teapot Shop, Japanese tea specialists with decades of experience drinking Japanese tea.

If you’ve had trouble with tea leaves clogging your teapot filter—especially when brewing Sencha, which has smaller leaves than teas like Oolong—don’t worry.

Here are some simple techniques to keep your tea flowing smoothly:

1. Let the Tea Leaves Settle in Teapot

Before you start pouring the tea into your cup, make sure the tea leaves have sunk to the bottom of the teapot. This prevents them from floating around and covering the filter.

2. Pour Slowly / Teapot Tilting Speed

When pouring, tilt the teapot slowly and gently. This helps the tea leaves stay settled at the bottom (stay under the filter) and prevents them from spreading across the filter.　

3. Practice Without the Lid

Try pouring tea without the teapot lid at first. This allows you to observe how the tea leaves move and how the speed of tilting teapot affects tea leaeve position. It’s a great way to get a feel for the right motion.

4. Be Gentle When Adding Water into Teapot (Note)

When you pour hot water into the teapot, do it slowly and gently. If you pour too quickly, the tea leaves will swirl around, and it may take longer for them to settle. This movement of the leaves also affects the taste of the tea—causing more bitterness and astringency.

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