Tozando teapots

Tozando's teapots are handmade using clay from various regions. We sell teapots that give you the feel of earth.

At Tozando, we give a rough idea of the shape and design, and consult with artists and craftsmen to create the pieces. It's like mixing Tozando's concept with the artist's originality. I always wait with excitement to see what kind of teapot they will make until it is completed.

(We also purchase some existing products, so not all of them are original teapots. Tozando's original teapots are made by Ichiro Mori, Takahiro Hosokawa, and Shibatagama.)

We especially take the time to discuss the shapes of spouts, lids, handles, etc. The lid is the most difficult part. It is quite difficult to make sure that the lid and body fit properly and that as much tea as possible does not leak through the gaps.

When I started working at Tozando, I realized that coarse clay such as Bizen and Iga is difficult to shape and is not originally suitable for making teapots. Coarse soil inevitably has uneven surfaces, making it difficult to seal the lid tightly. For this reason, many teapots have been made in Tokoname, which has fine mud, and in Arita and Tajimi, which are producing areas of porcelain.

In Tozando's case, the reason why they were able to create teapots even with coarse soil is because of the high level of molding techniques of the artists. I feel lucky to have met artists who are good at molding.

Coarse clay is difficult to shape, but the result is a teapot that is very tasteful and gives you the feel of the clay. It is a vessel of the earth, born from earth and fire. Tea also comes from nature, so it goes well with a teapot that has an earthy feel.

Currently, we handle Bizen ware, Kyo ware, and Tokoname ware, but in the future we would like to also handle teapots such as Nabeshima ware, Karatsu ware, and Arita ware.