Kishu Charcoal is ready to use upon opening the package. Simply place in any pitcher or water bottle and add tap water. Kishu begins adsorbing impurities immediately* while also imparting healthy minerals like calcium and magnesium. These give your water a delicious, clean taste.

*While Kishu begins working immediately bonding with toxins, for optimal adsorption:
Kishu To Go – approximately 16 oz of water/ 1 hour
Kishu Regular – approximately 2 quarts of water/ 4 hours; for chloramines, 6 hours
Kishu X-Large – approximately 3 gallons of water/ 24 hours

Maintenance: Kishu Charcoal should be boiled once per month to keep its pores open. Simply place in a shallow pan of water and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Allow to dry for 30 minutes before reusing. While a small amount of flaking may occur, the stick will stay completely intact; Kishu will NEVER deteriorate. After four months, Kishu should be replaced. Please use the handy boiling schedule, located inside the package label, to keep track of your Kishu stick’s life.

Second Life: Kishu Charcoal has great secondary uses: absorbing odors in the refrigerator (better than baking soda!) or mixed into your garden soil where it will help improve water absorption.