Kama, Kettle

Chanoyu is the ceremonial consumption of tea in Japanese culture. The practice involves numerous kinds of rituals, philosophies, and utensils. One utensil is the kama, or tea kettle. The kama acts as a vessel to hold the water that will later be poured in chawans for serving guests. The history of the kama stands out compared to other tea utensils as one of the only to be greatly influenced by globalization. The first versions were named Ashiya and Temmyō after the region they came from. Over the centuries, however, the way it was made and the material changed in response to rapidly shifting consumer desires. By the Taisho period (1912-1925), the kama was mass-produced using foreign iron. This version was called Yozuku, and this particular kama is likely made in this style. A lack of defining characteristics makes deducing any information difficult beyond that it was made during this period.

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