It has long been said that water boiled in an iron kettle tastes delicious.
This is because not only does the iron dissolve, giving the water a softer taste, but the chlorine contained in tap water is absorbed by the inside of the iron kettle.
If you look at the inside of a well-used iron kettle, you will see that it is white with limescale.
The water from an iron kettle with white scale on it is less likely to become cloudy and has a mellow taste.

To enjoy delicious tea

The iron kettles made by Iwachu's traditional craftsmen have a natural lacquer coating applied to the outside, and an oxide coating is created on the inside using the traditional technique of kiln-firing. This coating prevents rust, and when you put it in hot water, it releases iron, which contains a lot of ferrous iron, which is easily absorbed by the body. When you first start using it, you may notice red spots or other patterns on the inside, but this is proof that the iron kettle is still young. As you boil water and use it, the inside will turn white due to the chlorine in the tap water. If you use it every day, white scale will appear in as little as one to one and a half years. Of course, it makes the taste of tea mellow, but some customers say that it makes sake sweeter when used to mix it with water. Once you have matured your iron kettle until white scale has formed, try it with plain hot water first. You will surely be surprised at the difference in taste.

Enjoy the familiar taste of hot spring water forever

One couple gave their daughter, who was getting married and leaving home, a Nambu tekki kettle that had been used by the family for many years, as a dowry. It seems that the parents' wish for their daughter to be able to drink delicious tea from the iron kettle that she had been familiar with since childhood is being conveyed. In this way, iron kettles can become tools that can become assets that can be passed down through generations.

When using a Nambu tekki kettle for the first time, you need to do a process called "breaking in." First, lightly rinse the body, then fill it with water until it is 80% full, bring it to a boil over medium heat, and discard the water. Repeat this process two or three times until the water becomes clear and mellow. After use, while the kettle is still hot, lightly wipe the surface with a tightly wrung-out cloth. By continuing to do this, the kettle's unique luster will develop.

Iron kettles are individually crafted using the traditional "yakigata" method. Their surfaces are decorated with unique designs, such as the typical arare pattern and tortoiseshell pattern, and their texture changes with use. This change in the casting surface is also one of the joys of iron kettle lovers.