Whenever ones think of matcha, an image that will bound to appear in his or her mind would be that of the chasen, or matcha whisk. Invented in China during the Song dynasty together with the powdered tea, they have withstood the test of time.
Traditionally made with bamboo, these intricate works of art are not only beautiful but functional. Well taken care of, they could last for months (although traditional tea ceremony dictates that a new whisk be used for each ceremony). While there are many ways one could whip up a nice cup of matcha nowadays, nothing calms you down and allows you to immerse in the history of the chado more than using the chasen.
Below is a nice short documentary showing the process of making the chasen. Enjoy!