A quality bowl is one of the key factors in having an enjoyable hookah session. Here at Icon Hookah we find it important to know the different types of bowls on the market and how to choose the best one for the session you want to have. The bowl you choose is directly tied to your own personal preferences. How long do you usually smoke? What tobacco brands do you like? Are you using a heat management device? Well, we are here to give you insight on which bowl is right for you. Today we will be going over the Japona line of bowls as they have a variety of different styles and sizes.
Quick Overview
Japona is a brand hailing from Russia that has been around since 2015. Japona hookah bowls are unglazed bowls made of thick red terracotta clay. Because they are unglazed, they are great for sticking to certain flavor categories. This is because terracotta clay is porous, and the flavor seeps into the bowl and stays there. For example, if you smoke a lot of fruit flavors in one of these bowls, then the flavor will become more prominent when you go to smoke a similar flavor the next time. Each bowl is milk-fired, which gives the bowl its dark brown color. This is a popular trend in the Russian bowl market. Terracotta clay is also used in plant pots because of its ability to pull water from the soil and ensure the plant does not get overwatered. All Japona bowls are beautifully crafted with ornate markings that look modern and sleek. Typically each bowl is unique due to the leather cord wrapping they do on many of their bowls. This cord feature also helps you hold the bowl comfortably even when hot.
Japona Killer
The Japona Killer Bowl was created with a fluff pack in mind. There are five large holes on the inside of the bowl that allow a lot of airflow to pass through. This bowl is great for those that are looking to get a strong smoke with dark leafs or a nice mellow smoke with blondes. It holds roughly 15 grams of tobacco with the intended pack. This bowl will smoke well for one to one and a half hours. It can be paired with foil, the Kaloud Lotus, or the Provost.
Japona Mummy
The Japona Mummy Bowl is the most popular bowl in the Japona line. This bowl is perfect for any heat management device like the Kaloud Lotus due to the lip that emerges from the rim of the bowl. The function of the lip is to keep the heat management device in place. This bowl holds roughly 15 grams of tobacco and is great for one to one and a half hour sessions with both blonde and dark leaf tobaccos. The Mummy bowl is what the Japona brand is known for.
Japona Turkish
The Japona Turkish Bowl is one that can cater to different styles of packing, such as the fluff pack or even an underpack, which is suited for stronger smoking sessions with dark leaf tobaccos. The Turkish bowl features five holes at the bottom to help with the airflow. The bowl holds roughly 15g of tobacco if you pack high but can be lower capacity if you choose to go with an underpack. This bowl is best paired with a Kaloud Lotus.
Japona Ego 2.0
The Japona Ego 2.0 bowl is meant for short solo sessions. The Ego 2.0 is best used with dark leaf tobaccos because these leaves are typically finely cut. It holds roughly 10 grams of tobacco, and a session will typically last 45 minutes. Featured on the bowl are three slits in the spire which help with foil drag and keep the integrity of the airflow. This bowl should be paired with foil.
Japona Samurai
The Japona Samurai bowl is similar to the Turkish bowl from Japona, but it features a unique design because of the samurai stamp on the side and lack of a leather cord. This bowl also comes packaged in an ornate wooden box, making it a great gift idea for your fellow hookah enthusiast. Like the Turkish bowl, the Samurai will reach its full potential when paired with a Kaloud Lotus. It holds roughly 15 grams of tobacco for one to one and a half hour sessions and works wonderfully with dark and blonde leaf tobaccos alike.
Japona JS
The Japona JS bowl is a small capacity Turkish-style bowl that is meant for shorter sessions. It is best paired with dark leaf tobaccos and holds roughly 12 grams. It features four holes on the bottom that provide adequate airflow for a bowl of this capacity, assuming you use fluff or semi-dense pack. This bowl will smoke for around 45 minutes to one hour. This bowl is intended to be used with foil or with a chimney.
Japona Butterfly
The Japona Butterfly is a phunnel-style bowl. It’s one of two bowls in the Japona bowl lineup that doesn’t feature a leather cord wrapping. Instead, the Butterfly has a stunning swirl design. This bowl is versatile because it can be used with both blonde and dark leaf tobaccos. It holds roughly 15 grams of tobacco and will smoke for around one to one and a half hours. It can be paired with foil, the Kaloud Lotus, or the Provost.
We hope this helped provide useful insight for the Japona bowl lineup. Each bowl has unique properties that cater to different needs you may have. No matter which bowl you choose from Japona, you will have an amazing smoking session.
Alex Leguizamon (thelonesloth)
https://www.instagram.com/hookahsloth/
