Tetsubin Tea Pot

The tetsubin tea pot is a staple of Japanese culture. It is most commonly made from cast iron.

The design of this type of tea pot is based on tea kettles that were used in the Japanes home in the 17th and 18th centuries.

This began to change in the early 19th century when the style started to become more elaborate.

Then it was on its way to becoming a status symbol for the owner.

The more beautiful and elaborate your tea pot was, the higher the social status of the owner.

Tetsubin Tea Pot Characteristics

• Geometric in shape
• It has an animal pattern or very organic looking design on the side of the teapot, where the spout faces your right.

  The reason behind this is that the tea pot is held in the left hand during the Japanese tea ceremony known as Chanoyu.

When Used

The tetsubin style teapot also was quickly adopted to be put into a small role in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies of all types.

They made their way into all kinds of ceremonies from the most simple to the most elaborate.

• The Ryakubon tea ceremony was one of Japan's more simple tea ceremonies. It required a limited amount of tea accessories with the tetsubin used in tea preparation.
• In the Kaiseki tea ceremony a small meal would be prepare before the start of the actual formal tea ceremony.

  In many outdoor tea ceremonies the tetsubin teapot would eventually begin to replace the very traditional Cha-Gama.

Current Status

In modern times the tetsubin has become a very important reflection of Japanese culture and history.

While it's design and shape can be quite beautiful, its use is still very practical.

There are huge numbers of tea enthusiasts that will claim that tea brewed in these pots taste better then all other tea.

This style of tea pot is extremely collectible and has undergone an incredible evolution since its creation.

Today the direction of the tetsubin is towards a tea pot instead of tea kettle. The interior is coated with enamel and infusers have been added to add function.

There is also the direction of new colors being used instead of the traditional black or brown.

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