Nanbu ironware originated around the 17th century when the Nanbu domain in Iwate Prefecture had kettles made for the tea ceremony. Since the Nanbu domain lords were devoted to the tea ceremony and Iwate Prefecture was rich in pure iron resources, the casting industry, including tea kettles, began to develop in the downtown area.

In 1908, the production of Nanbu ironware for the Emperor Taisho, who visited the Tohoku region, became known throughout the Japanese newspapers, and Nanbu ironware became a well-known part of daily life in Japan.

However, the history of casting in the Tohoku region is much older. Casting Ironware was already superior in the region called Oshu-Mizusawa in present Iwate Prefecture in the late Heian period (794-1185).

Oshu Nambu Ironware —Mizusawa Japan

Today, there are two production areas for Nambu ironware. One is called Oshu Nambu Ironware, which originated in what is now Oshu Mizusawa, an area formerly known as Haneda Village.

Oshu Nambu ironware originated in the late Heian period (794-1185) when Fujiwara Kiyohira, the lord of Esashi County (present-day Mizusawa area), invited iron casters from Shiga Prefecture to start the industry. The casting industry was developed in the neighborhood of Mizusawa because of the accessibility of fine iron sand, as well as charcoal, high-quality sand, clay, and other casting materials.

In the Muromachi period (1333-1573), the casting industry was firmly established by recruiting casting masters from Kansai and other regions and settling them in Haneda, and in the Edo period (1603-1867), the casting industry in Mizusawa became more prosperous, mainly producing iron kettles and pots under the patronage of the Sendai domain (present day Miyagi, Iwate, Fukushima regions). In particular, after the Bakumatsu (end of Tokugawa shogunate, 1853~), in addition to daily necessities, Mizusawa area produced a variety of other ironware products such as cannons and Buddhist altars.

Since the Edo period, there have been two ironware production areas in Iwate Prefecture, Morioka and Mizusawa. In 1959, a unified organization was established within the prefecture as the Nanbu Ironware Cooperative Union, and Mizusawa's Nanbu ironware was given the special name "Oshu Nanbu Ironware”.

Nambu Ironware —Morioka Japan

Morioka Nambu ironware began later than Oshu Nambu ironware, and in the early Edo period, four families under the patronage of the Lord Nambu of the Morioka domain contracted casting as a family business.Each of the four houses had a different specialty in casting, making Buddhist bells, iron pots, tea kettles, etc. in their own way.

During World War II, the wartime regime enforced the "Rules for the Restriction of the Manufacture of Cast Iron," which prohibited the manufacture of anything other than military-related products, but after the war ended, the iron casting manufacturers of both Morioka and Mizusawa set up an association to keep the tradition of Nanbu ironware alive. Especially iron kettles became popular overseas due to their high artistic quality, and Japanese Cast ironwork is still attracting attention today.

1. Iron Melting and Casting

The molten iron is poured into a sand mold shaped by an aluminum mold. The temperature is raised to about 1,400 to 1,500°C(2552 to 2732°F) in the melting furnace, and the melted iron is placed in the foundry ladle to pour into the sand mold. The degree of iron melting is determined by long years of experience.

2. "Kanake-Dome" (Rust Prevention)

After the casting of ironware has been finished, it is removed from the mold, and the foundry cores are removed and steamed over a charcoal fire at 800°C(1472°F) for about 30-40 minutes to create an oxide film. This is the rust-proofing process unique to Nambu ironware kettle and pot. This process results in a rust-resistant cast iron kettle.

3. Polishing and Coloring

The surface of the cast iron kettle is cleaned after firing, and the spout and casting fin is cleaned in detail with a file or whetstone. Then, the kettle is heated to about 300°C (572°F) and lacquered by hand with real lacquer, followed by a coat of "Ohaguro" (a mixed solution of acetic acid solution with steel flakes left for more than a year and boiled tea liquid). After that, water is wiped with a special brush to give a subtle luster to the surface. Finally, a handle is attached to complete the process.

Nambu Ironware, or "Nambu Tekki" in Japanese, is a traditional handicraft of Japan made in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture of the Tohoku region.Nambu Ironware have a rough texture due to casting using sand molds, are resistant to rusting, transfer heat evenly to water, and retain heat well.Learn how to properly care for your Nambu Ironware so that you can continue to use it for a long time.