The Introduction and the History of Cast Iron Teapot (Tetsubin)

Introduction

Cast iron teapots (also called tetsubin in Japanese) are one of the Japanese traditional artifact that have been widely accept around the world. They are traditionally heated over a charcoal fire and are used for boiling and pouring hot water for drinking purposes. Because iron is released into the water, people claimed that the water boiled with cast iron teapot will have a graceful sweetness and the tea using such water will have a better flavor. Also, the water is appreciated as a dietary source of iron.

Cast iron teapots are often elaborately decorated with different designs on the outside, and the different symbols represent different meaning, such as strength, joy, happiness, blessing, etc. They range widely in sizes and shapes, and are great for decoration either. 

The small tetsubin which used for brewing tea is called kyūsu (急須). It is glazed with enamel on the inside in order to lend itself to making brewed tea and is easy to clean and care. The name tetsubin (鐵瓶), is used to call those pots that are used for boiling water instead of brewing tea and their sizes are larger. Right here though, you don't have to worry about how to call our teapots when you want to order.

The History of the Tetsubin

Exactly when the tetsubin first appeared in Japan is unclear, but much evidence suggests a close relationship with the rise of the Sencha (煎茶), a form of tea-drinking habit that choosing tea leaves instead of powdered tea such as Matcha (抹茶). Sencha was introduced to Japan from China around the middle of 17th century and it was not considered a formal ceremony but a drink associated with medicinal herbs. At that time, most Japanese literati adopted sencha as their major drinks to act as a symbolic revolt against the formality of Chanoyu (茶之湯), favored by the ruling class.

During the 18th century, as more and more civilian throughout Japan adopted tea drinking, Sencha gradually became an informal setting for sharing a cup of tea with friends and family. For most Japanese citizen, however, the Chinese tea utensils used to serve Sencha remained rare and was extremely expensive. Therefore, a new Japanese style teapot in order to replace the expensive Chinese tea utensils was developed--the Tetsubin.

Throughout the 18th Century, the Tetsubin became an ordinary household utensil used to boil water, prepare tea, and even create warmth. At the same time, however, the Tetsubin underwent some ornamental design shifts. By the early 19th Century, Tetsubin designs ranged from very simple to very elaborate. The more intricately designed Tetsubin commanded a higher prices. Furthermore, the design or style of a Tetsubin reflected the class or desired class of its owner, and thus it somehow became a symbol of status in the society.

In present day, Tetsubin is not only a great utensil to boil water and brew tea, but also a beautiful and elegant decoration for the house and kitchen.

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetsubin
http://research.calacademy.org/redirect?url=http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/anthropology/tetsubin/hist.html