Iron Sand Kettle / Rain Dragon (Ama-ryu)

Product Description : Why is it so EXPENSIVE?

Product Story

General Product Information

Each casting is handmade by skilled craftsmen.
It is a mystical gem with a dragon design.

The "rain dragon" refers to a water spirit that brings blessed rain, and it was believed that this rain dragon would bring rain. Dragons are said to bridge the gap between gods and humans, and as sacred creatures, they are sometimes deified and enshrined in shrines and Buddhist temples. The rain dragon design is one of the most popular designs used not only on castings, but also on ceramics, kimonos, and many other items!

The clean form of the thin fabric and the beautiful sandy-grained casting surface make it a visually and functionally appealing product with good heat conductivity.
The simple, lean design has a universal beauty that is at home at any dining table, while inheriting the spirit of chanoyu (tea ceremony). Inheriting the items used by grandparents and parents and using them for a long time will bring memories of those who have used them. Because of its longevity, one of the characteristics of cast metal is the ability to cherish things and enjoy their background.

It is said that iron kettles made of iron sand can be used for 100 years. There are not many craftsmen in the world who produce tetsubin made of such iron sand.
The reason for this is that Japan originally had no access to iron and could only produce iron kettles using iron sand.
As a result, we were able to acquire unique techniques based on this background.
It is recommended not only for daily use but also for interior decoration.
Water boiled in an iron kettle has a mild taste and is very tasty, and you can also consume iron with a high absorption rate.
We hope you will use it to build a healthy body.

 Product History

When did these crafts start to craft?：900 years ago / 1100AD / Heian period in Japan

Yamagata castings are metalwork made in Yamagata Prefecture. More than 1,000 years ago, a shogun (Shogun is a title of the conqueror at the time) visited Yamagata Prefecture with a group of foundry workers who discovered that the sand and soil quality of the region was ideal for casting molds. Today, there is a town named "Copper Town" still known as the town of foundry workers, and it was also the site of the first industrial complex in Japan during the Edo period (AD 1600).

Craftsman Story

Craftsman Profile

Mikio Arai / Arai Koubou
They have started business in 1972. The business began with the casting of machine parts by the previous generation and the production of crafts by his wife, Fumiko Arai, and has continued to the present day with a focus on handmade small-lot production. In the Heisei Era (1990s), members of the royal family visited the workshop privately and created bronze works. The quality of our work is one of the best in Japan, and we have delivered several pieces to the Imperial Household as gifts.

Craftsman Passion

"A traditional craft that is different from mass-produced products"
While each part of a casting is made by a division of labor, our workshop adopts an integrated manufacturing process that makes everything. We make everything from the materials to the design to create a work of art that we are satisfied with. This approach is very rare, and we produce casting every day with the desire to keep traditional crafts alive.

Achievement

Received the International Prize for Culture and the Arts
Multiple deliveries of imperial gifts

Your Contribution to Craftsman

Customer Voice

Due to the market structure (link for full articles are attached bottom), craftsman have not known who the customer is and how customer reacts to their work. We made a “Message to Craftsman” box at purchase page. We will deliver all message to every craftsman. Our review will be also shared to craftsman so please leave your comment and evaluation on review section!

Income for Craftsman: Craftsman get only less than 10% of selling price?

As written above, craftsman have not controlled last phase of sales channel that resulting in selling price is set by third-party without craftsman’s recognition. There are some cases that only less than 10% of selling price is given to craftsman. We promise with our customer / craftsman that we offer the fair trade with craftsmen in our contract!

We made an article about above problem and our challenge. Please have a read from below link.
Current state of the Crafts Market / Benefits brought by Suigenkyo

Measurement

Width：17cm
Depth：15cm
Height：21.5cm
Weight：1,794g

Material & Caution

Materials

Iron Sand

Caution

Individual Difference

Each piece is handmade, so there are individual differences even in the same series. We hope that you will understand the change by handmade.

Made to Order

Basically, this product is made to order, so it takes about a month from order to delivery. Please note that there may be unavoidable delays in delivery due to material shortages or delays in the production process.