In Japan, the cast-iron kettle is one of the traditional objects used in the tea ceremony. This is the same kettle you’ll see in Japanese inns, over a hearth of embers. In winter, people sit by the hearth to warm their hands. As well as providing heat, the kettle holds the water used to make tea. The water is drawn from the kettle with a bamboo ladle and poured directly into the tea bowl, if it’s a powdered tea.
In a way, it was the French who invented the cast-iron teapot, back in the 1980s. Attracted by the graceful design of this vessel, they persuaded foundries in northern Japan to make much smaller versions, sometimes glazed, with a filter inside: thus the cast-iron teapot was born. For a long time, France was the main export market for this beautiful object that lasts a lifetime.
From kettle to teapot
9 June 2023
