Naｍbu Ironware Iron Kettle HIratsutsu Style Shippou Pattern 1.3L By Studio Nanohana, Nami Sasaki

This piece is a creation by Nami Sasaki, a female artisan based in Oshu City, known for her solo studio's exquisite craftsmanship. It is produced using the Yakigata method.

She often incorporates floral motifs into her work. Drawing from her background in Nihonga (traditional Japanese painting), she brings a profound sense of depth and refined composition to the three-dimensional forms of her iron kettles. Through her delicate arrangements, one can truly feel the artist's inherent kindness and affection for her craft.

The textured surface of the iron, much like the Japanese aesthetic of wabi — finding beauty in the understated and unadorned — is shaped by the granularity of the sand used in casting, lending the piece a distinctly tactile and captivating presence. This characteristic skin of the casting not only accentuates the elegance of the kettle's silhouette, but also adds a quiet, rhythmic beauty to the overall composition.

The surface is adorned with the Shippō (Seven Treasures) pattern — an auspicious motif rooted in Buddhist tradition, said to represent the seven sacred jewels: gold, silver, lapis lazuli, and more. Its interlocking circles, each overlapping by one quarter, create an endlessly repeating geometric harmony, earning it the name Shippō-tsunagi, or "linked seven treasures." Introduced from the continent in the 7th to 8th centuries, this pattern has long been cherished as a symbol of harmony, connection, and prosperity.

Interestingly, this same geometry — circles overlapping in perfect rhythm — emerged independently across cultures throughout the world, a testament to the universal language of form and beauty.
To render this pattern with such precision across the curved surface of an iron kettle demands exceptional skill and sustained concentration. The production of a single piece requires an extended period of time — from the moment we placed our order, we waited a year and a half for this work to be completed. It is a true privilege to be able to present her work here.

The interior features an oxidized coating created through the traditional kamayaki (kiln-firing) process, and no artificial painting or lining has been applied to the inner surface. Please note that some reddish spots may appear inside the kettle as a result of this kiln-firing process. These are a natural characteristic of this traditional manufacturing method and do not affect the quality or use of the product.