Editing Tetsubin

{{Short description|Japanese cast iron kettle}}
{{Italic title|reason=[[:Category:Japanese words and phrases]]}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2008}}
[[Image:Hanging kettle in Japan.jpg|thumb|A tetsubin cast-iron kettle is suspended over an [[irori]] hearth in a traditional Japanese style farm house, at the Boso-no-Mura Museum]]
[[File:Tetsubin-kanagawa-2021-March-7.webm|thumb|alt=A video with the camera spinning around a tetsubin on a brasier (hibachi)|A tetsubin on a brazier (''[[hibachi]]'')]]
{{Nihongo|2=鉄瓶|3='''Tetsubin'''}} are Japanese [[cast iron|cast-iron]] kettles with a pouring spout, a lid, and a handle crossing over the top, used for boiling and pouring hot water for drinking purposes, such as for making [[tea]].

''Tetsubin'' are traditionally heated over [[charcoal]]. In the Japanese art of [[Japanese tea ceremony|''chanoyu'']], the special portable [[brazier]] for this is the {{Nihongo|2=瓶掛|3=binkake}}. (See [[list of Japanese tea ceremony equipment]]).
''Tetsubin'' are often elaborately decorated with [[relief]] designs on the outside. They range widely in size, and many have unusual shapes, making them popular with [[Collecting|collectors]]. A relatively small ''tetsubin'' may hold around 0.5 [[litres]] of water; large ones may hold around 5 litres.

[[Image:Red tetsubin.jpg|thumb|Tetsubin can be found in many colors with various designs and patterns such as this red one that has symbols depicting each of the four seasons for good luck]]

The historical origin of the ''tetsubin'' is not certain. At least one authoritative Japanese source<ref>''Genshoku Chadō Daijiten'' 原色茶道大辞典: Tankosha, 1975. Japanese illustrated encyclopedia of "the way of tea", entry for "tedorigama".</ref> states that it developed from the spouted and handled water [[kettle]] called ''tedorigama'' that was already being used in ''chanoyu''  in the era of [[Sen no Rikyū]] (1522–1591). During the 19th century, [[infuse]]d tea became more popular and tetsubin were considered primarily [[status symbol]]s rather than functional kitchen items.
 
Outside Japan, a frequently seen variant is a cast-iron '''teapot''' that outwardly resembles a ''tetsubin''. This type of teapot is glazed with [[Vitreous enamel|enamel]] on the inside to make it more practical for [[tea brewing]], though it cannot be used to heat water because that would break the enamel coating. In the west, these teapots are commonly referred to as ''tetsubin'', although the Japanese call them {{Nihongo|2=鉄急須|3=tetsukyūsu}}, or iron teapot, to make a distinction from the kettle. Cast-iron teapots often come with a [[tea strainer]] that fits inside.

The [[prefectures]] of [[Iwate Prefecture|Iwate]] and [[Yamagata Prefecture|Yamagata]] are best known for producing ''tetsubin'' as well as iron teapots.

[[Image:TetsubinBlack.JPG|thumb| A modern cast-iron teapot in use at the [[Asian Art Museum of San Francisco]] café]]

==History==
It is not clear when the first tetsubin kettles appeared in Japan, but one hypothesis is that the popularity of the tetsubin grew alongside [[sencha]], a form of leaf tea. China introduced Japan to sencha around the middle of the 17th century.<ref name="History of the tetsubin">{{cite web|title=History of the tetsubin|url=http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/anthropology/tetsubin/hist.html|accessdate=30 December 2011}}</ref> Sencha was not considered as formal as [[matcha]], the common powdered green tea at the time. Throughout the 18th century, people started drinking sencha as an informal setting for sharing a cup of tea with friends or family.<ref name="History of the matcha">{{cite web|title=History of the Matcha|url=https://www.yutea.com/pages/best-matcha|accessdate=13 July 2019}}</ref> As more people drank sencha, the popularity of the tetsubin grew. The tetsubin is most probably not an original design, but rather shaped by other kettles around at the time. The five closest relatives to the tetsubin are the tedorikama, the toyama, the mizusosogi, the dobin, and the yakkan.

The yakkan is the closest relative to the tetsubin, the main difference is that the yakkan is made from [[copper]], whereas tetsubins are traditionally made out of [[iron]]. Some people have wondered why the tetsubin was developed, when a perfectly usable vessel such as the yakkan would have worked. Tea drinkers may have preferred the taste of water from an iron kettle over the taste of water from a copper kettle. Throughout the 18th century, tetsubin kettles became a standard household utensil for heating water to make tea with. As the use of these kettles increased, so too did the intricacy. During the 19th century, tetsubin designs went from simple basic iron kettles, to elaborately engraved masterpieces.

==See also==
* [[Cast-iron cookware]]
* [[Japanese tea ceremony]]
* ''[[Kyūsu]]'', Japanese teapots that typically have side handles
* [[Kettle]], a vessel with a spout and handle, typically metal, used for heating water
* [[Teapot]], a vessel with a spout and handle, typically ceramic, in which tea is brewed and served

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Tetsubin|position=left}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Boilers (cookware)]]
[[Category:Japanese food preparation utensils]]
[[Category:Japanese metalwork]]
[[Category:Japanese tea]]
[[Category:Japanese words and phrases]]
[[Category:Teapots]]
[[Category:Teaware]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]