VILLAGE Report vol.3 Iwate Prefecture | Nanbu ironware and its two sources, Morioka and Mizusawa

When you hear Nambu ironware, do you think of iron kettles? Or heavy pots and frying pans? Both are correct. Nambu ironware is made up of two production areas with different characters.

Morioka and Mizusawa

According to materials from the Tohoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry and Iwate Prefecture, Nambu ironware is made up of the following two streams.

• Morioka ──About 400 years ago, Nanbu Shigenao, lord of the Morioka Domain, invited kettle makers from Kyoto and had them make tea ceremony kettles. That was the beginning. The craft developed mainly around tea ceremony kettles and iron kettles.
• Mizusawa (former Mizusawa City, now Oshu City) ──Its history is said to be even older, beginning about 950 years ago when Fujiwara no Kiyohira invited foundry craftsmen. As part of the Date domain, it developed mainly through cast everyday goods.

One began with utensils for the tea room, the other with tools for the kitchen. When the starting points differ, the character of what is made also differs.

Today’s Production Area in Numbers

Looking at the member businesses of the Iwate Nambu Ironware Cooperative Federation, there are reportedly 74 business sites, an estimated 730 workers, and annual production of about 9.2 billion yen. On February 17, 1975, it was designated a national traditional craft.

400 years and 950 years. A production area with two timelines shares one name. The weight carried by the words Nambu ironware is probably found there.

Last time, we visited Tsugaru lacquerware from Aomori Prefecture That was our focus. Next time, we will talk about kokeshi dolls from Miyagi Prefecture.

References: Tohoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry; Iwate Prefecture; Iwate Nambu Ironware Cooperative Federation

—The Value Village Editorial Team

Photo: Misakubo / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)