The cast iron Japanese teapot, or Tetsubin, has origins dating back to the 14th century and continues to be a quality item amongst tea enthusiasts all over the world. Noted for it's distinctive ability to retain flavors and maintain high heat, this Japanese teapot fulfills the two most important qualities of collect-ability, functionality and beauty, and deserves a spot in the home of any tea aficionado. A quality Japanese teapot can be said to be as useful as a spare set of keys to your car, and as beautiful as your wife when she brings them to you in the rain.

Extremely Functional of Japanese Teapot

The usefulness of the Japanese teapot stems from it's cast iron creation, as cast iron expertly retains heat and hugs it close like a blanket on a cold winter day. This rapidly brings tea to a boil as the temperature rises quickly and stays that way as long as moderate heat is maintained. Combining this highly capable heat retention with the retention of flavors that only cast iron can provide, and your next cup of tea could be as unique as a snowflake melting on the tip of your tongue. Only cast iron has been known to bring this ability to bear on the flavors of teas, and this makes a Japanese teapot uniquely capable of bringing only the best tea to steep.

Combined With Beauty

In styles that are reminiscent of bygone oriental eras, a Japanese teapot ornaments a home with a classical touch that begs for bamboo cups and trays. Feeling a touch of the orient while enjoying your flavorful tea can only be compared to taking a break from the bounds of reality for the duration of your break. Truly, the Tetsubin was used primarily in ceremonial rituals for most of it's early life, and these ranged from betrothals, where the two beloveds would share tea as a sign of a unity, to land deals, where the two sellers would share tea to signal an agreement. These highly private ceremonies would only call for the best and this can be seen given the beauty present in ornamental tetsubins.

Japanese Teapot Cleaning and Care

Tetsubin kettles can sometimes become rusty, as this is a quality of cast iron. Fortunately, this rusting is mitigated by the presence of tannic acid in many teas, and this can combine with newly forming rust to create a film that often prevents further rusting. For those that wish to clean their Japanese teapot, it is recommended that only water and a firm brush is used, as otherwise soap can soak into the cast iron and ruin the flavors present there.