Cast Iron Pots in Japan
although the original cast iron tea pots appeared in China sometime during the 13th or 14th centuries, it did not take long for the Japanese people to adopt it for their use in brewing sencha, or loose tea leaves instead of tea that had been crushed into a powdered form.
The Chinese presented sencha to Japan about 400 years ago. Sencha was also used in medicine which was able to cure physical and psychological problems. Interestingly, well-educated people in Japanese society had sencha as a way of showing their rebellion against chanoyu. Chanoyu was a formal and ceremonial way of drinking tea by the ruling class, which traditionally used powdered green tea known as matcha. The well-educated members of Japanese society drank sencha to show their resentment against chanoyu, a very formal, ceremonial tea preparation by the ruling class who used matcha, or powdered green tea leaves instead of sencha.
As sencha became the usual way of drinking tea with cast iron tea pots, tetsubin - the traditional Japanese name for these pots - was the typical way of drinking tea in Japan. This brought a sense of informality and warmth to tea ceremonies that could be used with friends and family.
Tetsubin were originally intended only for the use of boiling water and getting tea leaves brewed, so they weren’t painted in any fancy way. The 19th century brought about changes in that regard however, when teapots became decorative and status indications of how wealthy a family was. In fact some teapot makers decorated their pots with flowers, figures, and ceremonial designs that they then layered with silver, gold, or copper inside the pots. Later, in the 19th century, these cast iron tea pots became more than functional kitchen implements but became viewed as status symbols. Makers of these tea pots began decorating the plain, gray cast iron with relief pictures of flowers, geometric figures, and other small designs, while placing layers of silver, copper and gold on the inside of the cast iron tea pots.
Two counties in Japan, known as Iwate and Yamagata, later became known for their intricate tetsubin designs thanks to the fantastic craftsmanship, quality, and affordable prices they offered.
Since cast iron is a cooking utensil that is very durable and also retains heat, it is popular to cook with beyond just brewing tea. Many people actually had a health increase because of the use of cast iron pots, because there was an iron deficiency that was later made up with by cast iron. It was also discovered that because of the iron, people who suffered from iron deficiency also benefitted from eating and drinking food from cast iron tea pots.
Maintaining your tetsubin does involve a few specific actions to follow, such as remembering not to let tea remain in the tea pot for too long, since this may cause some rust to appear on the inside lining, if it is non-ceramic. Never wash your tea pot with scratchy scouring pads or use something other than a very mild dish detergent.
Most of the time you can probably get by with just rinsing the tea pot with cold water and gently toweling it off. Japanese tradition claims that the all-natural mineral coating which accumulates from brewing tea is beneficial for one’s health. Also, don’t let oil or salt lay on the surface of the tea pot as this could damage the surface.
Cast iron teapots make wonderful gifts for any occasion and will also lend to the ambience of a unique décor as an adornment in the kitchen. Its antique appearance is the perfect antithesis to the modern technology of today’s kitchenware and will give you years of enjoyment with the proper care.