Nambu Tekki　Nambu-style Tetsubin “Peony and Lion” Collection of Morioka Study Museum of Archeological Site

History
The Birth of Nambu Tetsubin

In the Nambu domain, four families of retained craftsmen, the Koizumis, the Suzukis, the Arisakas and the Fujitas, played an active role in making chagama and developing cast ironwork. Around 1750, Nizaemon Koizumi (3rd) came up with the idea of making a small tea kettle with a handle and a pouring spout, which would be more convenient for an open-air tea ceremony than the conventional chagama. This is said to be the origin of tetsubin. Compared to the ceramic kettle that had been used to boil water, the iron tea kettle was a much better heat conductor, and became popular. Eventually, as a unique rust prevention procedure was incorporated in the late 19th century, the Nambu tetsubin started to be widely used.