---

Material Care Encyclopedia"Iron"

Table of Contents）

・About Iron (Tetsu) and Nambu Tekki

・About the Material

・Caring for Iron Frying Pans

・Caring for Iron Kyusu and Tetsubin

・List of Iron Cookware Brands

---

Iron is widely used in industrial products, but among traditional cooking tools, Nambu tekki (Nambu ironware) is the most representative, including iron pots, frying pans, and tetsubin (iron kettles). Nambu tekki traces its origins back to the 17th century, when iron kettles were used as tea ceremony utensils, and it remains beloved today by those who love cooking and fine tools. In everyday life, iron pots and pans can be seen in use at Chinese restaurants and on the iron griddles of steak and yakiniku restaurants. As these cooking methods suggest, iron is a sturdy material that can withstand intense heat, and once it heats up, it holds its temperature well without cooling quickly.

---

Every material has its strengths and weaknesses. Here are some of the good points and challenges of iron frying pans as a material.

❶They don't break easily and are durable enough to last a long time.

❷The more you use them, the better oil adheres to the surface, allowing for tastier cooking.

❸Food tastes better.

❹Ingredients heat evenly.

In addition, iron kettles (tetsubin) are said to make water taste milder, so they're recommended for anyone who enjoys boiling tea or drinking hot water.

❶Compared to fluorine-coated (non-stick) frying pans, they are heavier and more prone to rust.

❷After use, they need not just washing but also to be coated with oil to season them.

❸They don't heat up quickly.

It takes a bit of extra effort, but the advantages outweigh the drawbacks. Since your food ends up tasting better, it's worth not skimping on the small amount of extra care involved. When you first start using one, there's a kind of ritual-like preparation involved in bringing it into your daily life, but that little extra effort is really just a way of deepening your relationship with the tools and materials you live with.

---

---

When you first start using it, you'll need to do a "seasoning" (narashi) process.

Wipe the inside of the frying pan lightly, then fry vegetable scraps in plenty of oilover low heat, letting the oil spread evenly over the surface to form an oil film. Once you've finished cooking, while the pan is still hot, gently scrub it with water or lukewarm water and a palm-fiber (shuro) scrub brush. If there is anything stuck on, fill the pan with water for a while first. After washing, wipe off the moisture and dry it over heat. It's done when the sputtering sound of water turning to steam stops.

By following this process, meat and fish can be cooked with a crisp, fragrant exterior while the inside is slowly and thoroughly cooked through. Stir-fries also turn out delicious, and omelets come out surprisingly fluffy. If you find that fish or meat keeps sticking no matter what you try, it's likely that the ingredients have cooled down the surface heat of the pan. Be sure to heat the pan thoroughly, until it just starts to smoke, before adding your ingredients. It's also a good idea to bring ingredients to room temperature shortly before cooking.

After you finish using an iron pot or frying pan,wash away any dirt while it's still hot, using hot water and a scrub brush or sponge.  You don't need to use detergent, but if the oiliness bothers you, it's fine to use some. (Please avoid using metal scrubbers or scouring powder.) It's generally best not to use detergent too often, but with a well-seasoned pan, the oil film won't easily wash away, so there's no need to be overly cautious about it.

After washing, it's important to dry the pan thoroughly. Leaving it wet after washing can cause rust, so be sure todry it over heat. Also, until the pan is well-seasoned with use, it's a good idea to apply a light coat of oil to the washed and dried iron pot or frying pan. If you won't be using it for a long period, lightly oil it and store it somewhere well-ventilated.

The simplest maintenance method is to burn it off over high heat.  Heating the pan over high heat until it smokeswill carbonize the burnt residue, causing it to flake off. After that, wash it off with a scrub brush, dry it as usual, and apply oil.

　※Please do not use metal scrubbers or cleanser.

①Prepare a mixture of about 2 tablespoons of baking soda per 1 liter of water.

②Pour the water and baking soda into the iron pot or frying pan and boil for about 10 minutes.

③Turn off the heat and let it sit until it has cooled completely, for at least an hour.

④While rinsing under running water, scrub with a brush to remove the burnt residue.

⑤Dry as usual and apply oil.

　

A little rust isn't something to worry too much about, but if it bothers you, scrub the iron pot with a natural-fiber brush to remove it, then, just as you did when first using the pan, heat plenty of oil and fry vegetable scraps to thoroughly re-season the surface with oil.

---

---

Rinse a new tetsubin (iron kettle) with water 1–2 times to wash away any dust inside. After that, boil water 2–3 times, changing the water each time, before using it. At first the water may become discolored, but this will fade with repeated use. Once the water turns clear and colorless, it's ready for regular use. For about the first month of use, boiling water every day will create a layer of mineral scale (yuaka) on the inside, making it more resistant to rust.

*Note: The scale coating the interior may appear yellow, brown, or bluish-white depending on how often the kettle is used and the quality of the water.

*If the teapot has an enamel coating, it cannot be used to boil water. Heating it empty will cause the enamel to peel, so please do not use it over direct flame.

The more a tetsubin is used, the more reddish its interior becomes, but if you avoid washing it and let it develop naturally, a film forms that's distinct from rust, giving plain hot water a smoother, mellower taste.

After boiling water in the tetsubin, transfer it to a pot or similar container so the kettle is left empty.Leaving hot water inside for extended periods can damage the tetsubin. By transferring the water right away, the residual heat of the iron will dry the inside of the kettle, saving you the trouble of heating it again later to dry it.  If any moisture remains, don't wipe it away—instead, heat the kettle over low flame for about 30 seconds to dry it. Please do not scrub the inside with a scouring brush or similar tool.

Even if red rust appears on the inside, there's no problem as long as the boiled water doesn't turn reddish and cloudy. Even if the rust bothers you, you should never touch the interior.If the water does turn reddish and cloudy, repeat the process of boiling and discarding the water. After doing this several times, the water will become clear again.

This is caused by calcium and other minerals in tap water adhering to the surface.Never scrub the interior with a scouring brush or cloth. There's no problem leaving the scale as it is, as long as the boiled water remains clear. It has a rust-preventing effect, so please continue using the kettle as is.

If there's a metallic smell, fill the kettle to about 80% with water, place about one teaspoon of sencha (green tea) leaves in a tea pack, and simmer for about 30 minutes. (Remove the lid to prevent the water from boiling over.) As the tannin in the tea reacts chemically with the iron, the water will turn black; once it does, turn off the heat, add more water, then let it sit for about half a day before washing and drying the kettle. If the smell still bothers you, repeat the process 2−3 times.

While the tetsubin still retains some residual heat, polish it with a cloth soaked in sencha and lightly wrung out. The iron in the kettle reacts with the tannin in the tea, and if there's any rust, it will gradually turn black with repeated care. (Note, however, that polishing the kettle while it's cold will actually cause rust, so please be careful.)

Iron cookware, which develops a beautiful, rich character over time with proper care, may seem difficult to use to some people—but once you actually start using it, those initial worries tend to disappear. You'll come to look forward to using it every day, thanks to the wonderful way iron cooks food deliciously.

Because iron retains heat well once heated, it becomes very hot.Please be very careful to avoid burns. When using iron cookware, always wear a thick mitt that fully covers the back of your hand.

---

▽List of Iron Cookware Brands

Iwachu（いわちゅう）

Iwachu is a long-established Nambu tekki (Nambu ironware) maker founded in 1902 (Meiji 35). With one of the largest factories in Japan, the company produces a wide range of products, from tetsubin and ironware suited to modern life to handmade Nambu tetsubin that carry on roughly 400 years of tradition. Iwachu has also actively pursued products for overseas markets, and its colorful ironware has become so popular that in Europe, "IWACHU" has practically become synonymous with the tetsubin (iron teapot) itself. It stands as a top maker spreading the appeal of Nambu tekki both in Japan and abroad.

tsukumo（ツクモ）

Founded in 1957 (Showa 32), Yamada Kogyosho is a pot and pan manufacturer that continues to be the only company in Japan preserving the uchidashi (hand-hammering) method of cookware making. Each frying pan is carefully finished by craftsmen by hand, and has been cherished by cooking enthusiasts as a piece meant to last a lifetime. tsukumo is the brand born from Yamada Kogyosho's pursuit of greater ease of use in the home, drawing on its experience making custom wok-style Chinese pans (chuka nabe) for restaurants and food establishments. Its cookware, essential for everyday cooking with functionality that lasts for years, is beloved by many professionals as well.

Ogasawara Rikucho （おがさわらりくちょう）

Born in 1929 in Mizusawa, Iwate Prefecture.
He is the head of Nambu Imono Seisakusho "Ogasawara" in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, and a member of the JCDA (Japan Craft Design Association).
He has taught the casting trade in Mizusawa City and made major contributions to its development. With a career spanning more than 60 years, he continues to make ironware rooted in everyday life, skillfully switching between two classic Nambu tekki techniques: namagata, which allows only simple shapes but is suited to mass production, and sogata, which requires complex processes and skilled craftsmanship. While carrying on the traditional techniques of classic Nambu tetsubin, he is also a versatile caster who creates everyday household items with simple, modern designs.

Chushin no Kobo(チュウシンコウボウ)

Chushin no Kobo is a Yamagata imono (Yamagata cast ironware) brand. The products created by designer Masuda Naoki under Chushin no Kobo are exceptional pieces that strike a fine balance between everyday usability and traditional craftsmanship. Each item conveys the solid texture and comfortable weight unique to cast iron, fitting smoothly into daily life, and reflects a philosophy of passing on Yamagata imono—a distinctly Japanese traditional craft—to the next generation.

Yanagi Sori （やなぎそうり）

柳宗理 was born in Tokyo in 1915 and entered the Oil Painting Department of Tokyo School of Fine Arts. After reading French architect Le Corbusier's "L'Art Décoratif d'Aujourd'hui" (The Decorative Art of Today), which argued that true decoration exists where there is no decoration, Sori found the path he would follow for the rest of his life.
After the war, he turned his attention to industrial design, and in 1952 won first prize in the first Industrial Design Competition sponsored by Mainichi Shimbun. He went on to establish the Yanagi Design Institute. His designs span a remarkably wide range, from the "Butterfly Stool" to lighting fixtures, three-wheeled motor vehicles, pedestrian bridges, and the Olympic torch cauldron, with his works held in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and the Louvre in Paris.

 de Buyer (デバイヤー)

Founded in 1830 in the small French town of Val d'Ajol. The de Buyer family, owners of a forge, began making pots and pans based on techniques passed down through generations. The business grew alongside France's Industrial Revolution, and even today the company continues to produce its goods using the same manufacturing methods it did back then. With a workforce of some 180 craftsmen using 300 machines that have been in use since the days of the Industrial Revolution, de Buyer's frying pans are made to a standard of quality reliable enough to have earned certification from chefs around the world and from France's Ministry of the Economy and Finance—proof of tools built to last.