A ushirode kyusu is a Japanese teapot with a back handle positioned directly behind the spout, designed for controlled, two-handed pouring rather than the one-handed motion used with a side-handle kyusu.
This handle position changes how the teapot is used. Instead of a quick wrist rotation, pouring becomes a more deliberate movement that gives you greater control over speed and tilt, especially when serving multiple cups.
Compared to the more common yokode kyusu, the ushirode style is typically larger and better suited to brewing for more than one person. The added volume and balanced grip make it practical for everyday teas that are prepared in higher quantities.
The difference is not just in form but in how the brewing process feels. Pouring rhythm, control, and serving style all shift with the handle placement.
This article explains how the ushirode kyusu works, how it compares to the side-handle design, and when it makes sense to use one in a daily tea routine.
Ushirode Kyusu Uses a Back Handle for Two-Handed, Controlled Pouring
A ushirode kyusu is designed for two-handed pouring, where one hand controls the handle, and the other stabilizes the lid, allowing more deliberate control over tilt and flow compared to a side-handle teapot.
Unlike the yokode style, where the handle extends to the side at 90 degrees, the ushirode requires both hands to pour with real control. One hand grips the handle, the other steadies the lid. It is intentional, and it shapes the entire brewing experience.
That two-handed grip gives you precise tilt control. You can regulate the speed of the pour much more deliberately, which matters when draining the pot completely or slowing extraction at the end of a steep.
The ushirode kyusu also tends to come in larger capacities than the typical compact yokode. Because a side handle limits how heavy the pot can get before one-handed balance becomes impossible, most yokode designs cap around 300–400ml. The back handle distributes weight more evenly, so this style often runs from 400ml up to 600ml or more, practical for multiple cups or a group setting.
How It Compares to the More Common Side Handle Kyusu
The main difference between a ushirode kyusu and a yokode kyusu comes down to how the teapot is handled during pouring. A yokode kyusu uses a side handle, allowing a one-handed wrist rotation that makes it easy to pour quickly and drain the pot completely in a single motion. This is especially useful for Japanese green teas, where leaving liquid behind can lead to over-extraction in the next infusion.
A ushirode kyusu, with its back handle, shifts this motion into a two-handed pour. One hand controls the handle while the other stabilizes the lid, allowing a more deliberate tilt. To fully drain the pot, you simply increase the forward angle slightly more than you would with a side handle. The result is comparable, but the movement is slower and more controlled.
This difference also affects accessibility. Side-handle kyusu are typically designed for right-handed use, and while left-handed versions exist, they are less common. The ushirode design removes this limitation entirely, as the centered back handle works the same way for both right- and left-handed users. For those who prefer to see the leaves steeping in real time, glass alternatives like the toumei kyusu offer a transparent option within the same handle-centered format.
In practice, the choice comes down to preference and context. The yokode favors speed, efficiency, and single-handed control, while the ushirode offers stability and a more balanced grip, particularly when pouring larger volumes or serving multiple cups.
Brewing Experience and Pouring Control
Using a ushirode kyusu changes the physical rhythm of brewing in ways that are easy to overlook until you have actually brewed with one, and if you are new to how to use a kyusu altogether, starting with the fundamentals will make that learning curve much shorter.
With a side-handle teapot, you pour from the wrist. The motion is small, quiet, and precise. It suits a meditative, single-serve session where every detail of the steep is attended to closely.
With this style, you pour from the arm. The motion is fuller, more deliberate, and naturally slower. It is simply a different relationship with the tea.
Flow Rate and Speed
Because the ushirode design typically places the spout at a higher angle relative to the handle, the flow rate tends to be steadier and slightly slower by default. You have to tip the pot further to get a fast pour, which gives you more natural control over speed without actively throttling your wrist.
For teas that require a slow, even pour across several cups, the alternate pouring method is used when serving multiple guests. This can be a real advantage. The body mechanics of the ushirode make that kind of patient, deliberate pouring feel more natural than it does with a side-handle teapot.
Filter Type and Strainer Design
Like all Japanese teapots in this category, the ushirode is built with a strainer at the base of the spout. The construction follows the same principles as clay filters for those who want no metal contact with the brew, and metal mesh for practicality and easier cleaning. Clay construction affects more than aesthetics; it shapes how the tea tastes over time. 👉 Clay Kyusu Teapot: What Makes It Unique for Japanese Tea
Because ushirode teapots often have a larger internal volume, the filter needs to handle a greater quantity of leaves without clogging. If you brew fukamushi sencha, the deep-steamed variety with finer leaf particles, a fine metal mesh filter is worth seeking out over a clay pin-hole design. Nio Teas carries kyusu teapots in metal filter styles, and understanding the difference before you buy saves you from a frustrating first brew. For a kyusu purpose-built for fukamushi sencha brewing, Tokoname Kyusu Fukamushi Teapot is the one to consider.
Teas That Work Well with a Ushirode Kyusu
This teapot style is notably versatile. The larger capacity and neutral grip make it well-suited to teas that benefit from a longer steep in more water, or teas you are preparing for more than one person.
Sencha and Bancha
Sencha is the natural pairing for any kyusu teapot, and the ushirode is no exception; the relationship between sencha and kyusu brewing goes deep enough that it merits its own consideration when choosing a teapot style. The two-handed grip and steady pour are particularly useful when serving multiple cups of sencha at once, since the alternate pouring method distributing the brew evenly across all cups requires patience and control that the back handle supports naturally.
Bancha, being a hardier tea with looser leaf particles, also suits this style well. The larger volume means you can brew a generous pot without crowding the leaves, and the tea itself does not demand the precise temperature or tiny steep volumes that more delicate first-harvest teas require.
Hojicha and Genmaicha
Roasted teas like hojicha are brewed at higher temperatures than most Japanese greens, which means the thermal mass of the pot matters more. Larger ushirode teapots, particularly a red Japanese clay teapot, where the unglazed clay body retains heat exceptionally well, keep hojicha at a comfortable drinking temperature through multiple pours.
Genmaicha, with its toasted rice mixed into the leaves, benefits from the same spacious interior. The rice kernels need room to move without blocking the filter, and the typical ushirode form factor provides that clearance more reliably than a compact 150ml yokode.
When This Style Makes Sense in Daily Use
The ushirode kyusu is not the default choice for enthusiasts focused on precision single-serve brewing. For that use case, the yokode is still the better tool, lighter, more compact, better optimised for the short steeps and tiny volumes of premium green tea.
But this back-handle teapot earns its place in a daily practice under specific conditions. If you regularly brew for two or more people, the larger capacity and controlled pour are genuinely useful. If you are coming from a background of standard teapots or even a coffee kyusu, which shares a similarly centered balance point, the ushirode removes that friction cleanly and lets you focus on the tea.
It also pairs naturally with a wider range of tea types. Because it is not optimised purely for the delicate, low-volume brewing of gyokuro or shincha, it handles the full spectrum from everyday bancha to deeper-roasted teas without feeling out of place.
If you are deciding between your first kyusu styles and want a Japanese teapot that transitions easily between different teas and serving situations, the back-handle kyusu is one of the most practical entry points into Japanese teaware. Nio Teas' teaware collection includes options suited to both beginners and experienced drinkers, and understanding which handle style fits your routine is the clearest way to narrow the choice down. Shopping for someone who loves Japanese tea? 👉 Best Gifts for Tea Lovers: A Timeless List Done by a Tea Lover
