"Water kettle cast iron 1.5 l, UMA, Iwachu"
Tetsubin is a kettle and a kyusu is a teapot
It is not uncommon for confusion to arise or for these two pieces of equipment, which are very important for the preparation of high-quality tea, to be confused. They often look similar, deceptively so. However, their tasks are fundamentally different. The tetsubin is used only to heat the water for tea preparation, to keep it warm and to improve the taste of the water. You cannot make tea in it. The cast iron teapot (tea pot) is usually much smaller and is used to prepare tea. There are very few \"combination\" models, as they are also not so useful for the process of making tea.
The best quality from the hands of experienced artisans
Only a few artisans in Japan make nanbu tetsubin and Kyusu from cast iron. The working process, in order to achieve the desired very high quality, is very time-consuming and requires many years of experience from the masters. Elaborate clay molds are made by hand on the wheel and can usually be used for only 4 or 5 products. The world's most famous brand of handmade Nanbu tetsubin and Kyusu made of cast iron (tea pot) is Iwachu, Iwate Prefecture. Only natural materials are used as raw materials: tested iron ore and iron sand, Urushi lacquer, green tea and vinegar for the tetsubin, sealing and protecting the outer surfaces. Classic designs like the Arare motif but also picture motifs or very reduced designs are the rule. Colors are used rather rarely in the tetsubin, but Kyusu are also available in very different, modern colors.
Nambu Tekki (Nanbu Tekki), ancient and unsurpassed
Making nambu cast iron requires a very complex and complicated production process. This is also the reason that this manufacturing process is counted as a traditional handicraft - Nambu is only affordable by intensively trained artisans. Even a standard kettle requires nearly 70 steps. In Japan, it is assumed that training and experience of at least 15 years is necessary to become a high-quality manufacturer of cast iron products using the Nambu Tekki process. Only with about 40 years of experience will this craftsman attain the status of a master.
Original Iwachu Tetsubin
In Japan, it is considered an honor to have one's work imitated or copied. Unfortunately for the buyer, however, this can come with unpleasant \"side effects\" (shelf life, taste, value retention, and health). Therefore, if you want to buy an orlginal, pay attention to the labeling of the product. Iwachu imprints the company's emblem on the product. At Oryoki, we source our Iwachu tetsubin and Kyusu directly from Iwachu in Japan, so you can be sure you are getting only originals from us.
All products are unique. Slight deviations from the picture are possible. Due to the handmade production, small irregularities in the shape and surface are possible. Iwachu products are only genuine with the original stamp on the product.
