Tetsubin

Tetsubin (鉄瓶), which literally means “iron pot”, are Japanese cast iron kettles with a top handle, lid and pouring spout used for boiling water, especially for making tea. They are made by pouring molten iron into either clay or sand molds. Clay molds are used in the production of finely made kettles, while sand molds are used for mass produced multiples made for commercial sales and export. With varied and unusual shapes, they often are elaborately decorated with relief designs. Cast iron is believed to enrich and improve the taste of boiled water and add iron, an additional health benefit. As with all antique items associated with eating or drinking, we recommend using the old ones only for decoration.