Chikutan sticks are popular in high-end Japanese bars. Use it to stir your beverages and the charcoal will absorb impurities in alcohol or tea for a pure taste. It's a great water purifier. It looks black, but is called white charcoal because of its purifying ability and white shine. The purifying ability of White Charcoal is a natural phenomenon known and used in Japan for several centuries. These White Charcoal Chicutan sticks are made from Japanese bamboo.