Nanbu Tekki — cast-iron ware from the Morioka area — is one of the great regional crafts of Japan, produced here for over 400 years. The technique was brought to Morioka by the Nambu clan, who attracted skilled ironsmiths from Kyoto to create ceremonial vessels and teakettles for the castle town. The distinctive tetsubin iron teakettle, with its patterned exterior and dense, rust-resistant interior, has become an international design icon.
Several foundries in Morioka still produce Nanbu Tekki by traditional methods, and some are open to visitors. The Konyamachi district in central Morioka is the historic centre of the trade, with showrooms where you can handle and buy everything from teakettles and plates to wind bells and bookends. Quality iron from a reputable Morioka foundry is expensive but will outlast its owner by decades. The tourist information office near Morioka Station can direct you to studios that accept visitors.