An imposing kettle crafted by the third generation traditional craftsman Kunzan, Mr. Sasaki Kazuo and his team. He is known for his mastery of traditional techniques coupled with imaginative new innovations.
Traditionally Japanese iron was made from satestu(iron sand). Iron made of iron sand is rigid and hard to process, but it has a dignified beauty. The cherry blosom pattern on this kettle is elegant and refined, perfectly showcasing the craftsman's techiques. As iron sand is getting harder to obtain , iron sand kettles are becoming less common.
The interior is coated with natural Japanese lacquer.
This kettle has a hollow handle, a feature which is normally reserved for kettles of a much higher price. This is because it is hammered out of one sheet of metal by a skilled craftsman and requires a lot of time and expertise to produce. Therefore only small quantities of this type of handle can be made. The little holes on the handle ("mushi kui", literally "bug bitemarks"!) are to let out the heat and make the handle cooler to hold.