When brewing tea, the "best" Tetsubin + the "best" water + the "best" Clay Tea Pot will not guarantee the best result. It is traditionally a hand crafted object that was developed as an utensil for use in the Japanese Tea Ceremony. The very same artisanal processes since the times of its founding in 1902 are still used to produce upscale cast iron tea kettles, cooking utensils as well as little wind bells. All available teapots from us come with an infuser thats found around the rim, under the lid. The latter is only used for brewing tea, but not for boiling water. The fire reduces iron from Fe3+ into Fe2+. The utensil has traditionally been used by Japanese in tea rituals since the 18thcentury. You can also apply the process to rejuvenate the glossy surface and keep your kettle looking like brand new. When molten iron is poured into the mold, the embossed pattern appears on the surface as it is inside out. Tetsukyusu should never be used over a fire. You should boil water and throw it out and repeat the process again and again. Another said that the emergence of Tetsubin Cast iron kettle from the Nambu domain begin to spread first among the Shogunate and Feudal then all over the county. Most of them are made by factories either in Japan or China.In particular, a lot of cast iron teapots are made in China at very low cost. Please refrain from pouring cold water into a tetsubin or tetsukyusu that has just had hot water in it, or that is still hot. Japanese people had used Nambu Tekki tetsubin or kyusu (Japanese teapot) widely and routinely. Since 1957, every year in Japan, Japan Institute of Design Promotion launched awards namely Good Design Award for items that are recognize for their excellent design. The clay mold is made with the same method as making the external mold. Nevertheless, the yakkan is made from copper, whereas tetsubin are traditionally made of cast iron. In general, most of the hand-made cast iron tea ware is a kettle. Made in China but finished in Japan by the famous Towa Workshop, this classic tetsubin-style kettle is our top pick for value. A Tetsubin will rust if it is not well taken care of by its owner. The intense heat will give stress to the metal and the kettle cannot last up to 50 years of usage. It is great for making tea with long lasting flavor and taste. We need buyer to bare the duty. The surface area (porosity) plays a significant role. US orders under $100 ship for only $8.50! Always consider the country of origin and how a teapot was made. As you will see, the taste of the water produced in a Tetsubin is uniquely different from that of water boiled in any other ordinary cooking device. The use of modern heating sources as opposed to charcoal creates moisture (water vapor), which can cause rust on the bottom of teapot. And while Tetsubin was used for boiling water, the cast iron teapot is used for brewing tea, not to boil water. Sponsored. You can quickly tell whether a teapot is durable based on where it was made. In this world, Japanese people have the most centanarian (people who have live more than 100 years) which is more than 67000 peoples. Each of them bears a "Made in Japan" logo and the Iwachu symbol engraved as a guarantee of quality and genuine origin. It can withstand knocks, and its virtually impossible to destroy by knocking. Due to the nature of the material used on these spots, it gets hotter than cast iron. Cast iron kettles and teapots are produced by pouring molten iron into either clay or sand molds. But not long ago, most of them have disappeared. The products ranging from high-end hand craft to commercial cast iron ware. Noodle Kimm, Tetsukyusu in a Shop Window. Due to the steady development of the country, the demand on cast iron wares also increased. A cast iron teapot, on the other hand, is lined with enamel and is used for brewing tea. The temperature of tetsubin goes higher than 100 degree C if there is no water inside. Its not just the tea leaves you need to think about, but also the other tools youre using. Thank you for visiting HOJO website. Nevertheless, this production does not exist anymore. Putting different patterns and adding colors is also relatively straightforward, which makes it easier to choose your taste of cast iron teapots in the choices available. Most of them cracked after long period of usage. However, if you just bought yours, it is crucial to follow the steps of cleaning a cast iron teapot: Never heat an empty Tetsubin in an open fireplace. A tetsubin is needed for boiling water, but not for brewing tea. Bowls, spoons, and even the environment are all important factors, but perhaps the most essential component is the tetsubin, or cast-iron kettle. This will make serving more powerful. It is an alloy of carbon, silicon, and iron, contains of 1.7 to 4.5% C and 1 to 3% Si. The excessively rusted interior no longer retains ferric, but ferrous. The mold for the spout is made separately. It is the Southern part of Iwate prefecture. The latter soon became an important domestic utensil for tea preparation. Both stories proved that Nambu Cast Iron is very popular and thus become the apple in the eye of the Japanese people. For high-end Japanese cast iron kettles, the mold is used only once. Once the tetsubin is shaped, its pattern is stamped. Basically the answer is No. Traditionally, they were used with charcoal, which made them appear rusty on the exterior. During the Edo period, in the second half of the seventeenth century, Chinese merchants visiting Nagasaki brought loose leaf tea knowledge to Japan. If yes, add garlic or tea leaves to the boiling water to reduce the smell further. So getting the teapot from one of these origins means you are getting a quality build. The largest production of cast iron ware In Japan. On the other hand, Morioka-Nanbu specialized in tea ware. Outside Japan and especially in the Western market, the most famous Japanese teapot is the tetsukyusu () (iron teapot), a cast iron teapot that outwardly looks like a tetsubin. Without this process, cast iron kettle is nothing but kettle. In the case of Tetsubin, it served a purpose to boil water and can be used by everyone despite of the social class. It also rinses out the vessel. The shapeness of arare is depending on how deep stumping is applied and how many times the mold is re-used. Katamochi is the 2 nails that used to fix the internal mold (nakago) during casting. When brewing tea using water boiled in Tetsubin, the taste of the tea becomes very mellow and sweet. This will get rid of the interior odor of the new tetsubin. This brought the need for a Japanese style teapot to replace the costly Chinese utensils the Tetsubin. These products were made using wax mold. Learn more. The PERFECT iron anniversary gift! In ryakubon, the first ritual preparation a chanoyu host learns, a tetsubin is used to boil water for preparing tea. As a conclusion, it is wise to consider a new model rather than a used model, unless it is for display or decoration purpose. Modern-day teapots are coated with enamel on the interior, which makes them possible to make a great brew regularly. The majority of tea pot is commercially made in mass production process. The mold for the bottom part of kettle is made according to the same method. These combinations are refined and subtle taste sensation, however, you will perceive a flat taste that is contrary to your expectation, if you combine iron and clay elements incorrectly. These two designs is the focus of any Nambu cast iron kettle (tetsubin) makers. No. This is usually refers to grey cast iron. This is the typical color of activated/reduced iron. However, it is possible to use it to make English or Chinese teas or any other tea. If you use induction heater, you must set the heater with lower output until entire tetsubin is heated up. The shape of metal plate is cut according to the intended shape of kettle. The kettle made with sand mold is different from hand-made kettle in terms of: The cost of hand-made cast iron kettle is very high as the clay mold can only be used for very limited times. How to Take Care of Your Japanese Cast Iron Kettle or Teapot? The yakkan is also held in the right hand, showing further proof that the tetsubin and yakkan are closely related. Cast iron kettle is made by pouring molten iron into the mold and forms the shape accordingly. 8)Do not leave any water in the tetsubin for a long period of time. A tetsubins degree of finishing indicated the wealth of its owner, and thus could be appreciated as a status symbol. You can find tetsubin in a variety of beautiful traditional Japanese designs, from pebbled surfaces to beautifully cast dragonflies or cherry blossoms. They look great! Whats the Difference between Tetsubin and Other Types of Japanese Kettles? Japanese people is well known for their longevity. Never use cold water if the cast iron material is still hot. In the Japanese art of chanoyu (tea ceremony), tetsubin are placed on a portable brazier named binkake () and traditionally heated over charcoal. Once the shape of mold is completed, the patterm is stamped according to the intended design. Both materials are from the local mountains and river band. Japanese Tetsubin Teapot Coated with Enameled Interior, Durable Cast Iron Teapot with Stainless Steel Infuser 1000ml 4.5 out of 5 stars (63) In a long run, the bottom part of iron tetsubin becomes rusty. Most of them are crafted by factories in Japan or sometimes even in China, at an extremely low cost. In this section, we will show you how Nambu Cast Iron Kettle Tetsubin is made. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,100],'topictea_com-portrait-2','ezslot_31',133,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-topictea_com-portrait-2-0');Additionally, it has better heat distribution than glass and ceramic. The design introduced enameling of teapots to avoid rust from iron and prevent the tea from becoming bitter. It is well recognized as Nanbu Tetsubin and there are a number of artists at different ranking. At that time, Japanese intellectuals were strongly inspired by China, enjoying Chinese arts and crafts. There is a noticeable number of Kyoto style tetsubins in Asia market such as Kibun-Do () and Ryumon-Do (). This is the reason that certain shape of kettle such as Nanbu Shape is very expensive. After pre-heating your teapot, measure your favorite loose leaf tea. Tetsubin (Cast Iron Kettle) the Heart of the Japanese Handcraft, There are many artisans around Japan. Although sometimes we may come across the artists who make cast iron kettle, most of them involve in personal scale or very limited production, making product meant for the exhibition. Only if customer prefer other option of payment, we suggest "Bank Transfer". Ensure that you thoroughly dry all parts of the vessel, including the lid and strainer.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'topictea_com-narrow-sky-2','ezslot_26',129,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-topictea_com-narrow-sky-2-0'); Before investing in a cast iron teapot, there are a few things you need to consider. The coating on the interior of teapots is easy to clean and brews sweet tea. The solid handle is used for low to intermediate model. The origin of the tetsubin is still not completely clear. If you just got your cast iron teapot, Im sure youll love it. As mentioned earlier, this area is very rich in iron ware and other necessary materials for iron casting such as clay, urushi, forest and sand. The earliest cast iron teapots originated from Japan and China. The Japanese Illustrated Encyclopedia of The Way of Tea (Genshoku Chado Daijiten), states that the tetsubin developed from a water kettle named tedorigama () (sometimes also spelled tedorikama). It is the rough surface with irregular texture. It shows the heart of the Japanese that recognizing products to be simple, humble and yet elegant. The price of the cast iron kettle depends a lot on the design rather than other aspects. We select the hand-made product ranging from Low-end to Super High-end. With the source in mind, you could get a durable teapot that can become an heirloom piece. A set of metal plate is used to form the shape of kettle. 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