ABOUT OITOMI

 

The origins of "Ôshû-Mizusawa" Nambu ironware trace back 950 years when Fujiwara no Kiyohira ‐藤原 清衡‐ (1056 – 1128), founder of Chûsonji Temple, invited skilled casters from Ômi (now Shiga Prefecture) to create Buddhist altars. In 1959, "Nambu ironware" combined the traditions of "Morioka" and "Ôshû-Mizusawa" in Iwate Prefecture.

Established in 1848 in Mizusawa-hada district, Ôshû City, Iwate Prefecture, Oitomi began as Hoshodo. Founder Oikawa Rigenta, a tea kettle craftsman for the Date clan, shaped Oitomi's 170-year legacy rooted in the tea ceremony.

Iwate Prefecture's ironware, rooted in Morioka and Ôshû, gained "Nambu Ironware" status. We artisans strive to share the enduring charm of this legacy, passed through generations in our region.

As artisans, we prioritize sustainable production to preserve iron's potential—a foundational resource for human civilization since Earth's beginning—for the well-being of future generations.