List of products by brand Wazuqu since 1604
The Yamagata foundries were born around 960 years ago. Kikuchi Hojudo began in 1604 with the accession of Kihei Osamu, the first generation of the family, as the founder of Yamagata Castle, Yoshiaki Mogami.
Company Name: WAZUQU Co,Ltd
Founded: 1902
Headquarters: Yamagata, Japan
Main activity: Manufacturer of cast iron teapots
Company Description :
Yamagata casting, reputed to have originated around 960 years ago, has its roots in the lineage of Kikuchi Hojudo. The history of this tradition dates back to 1604, when Kiheiji, the first member of the family, was patronized as an official master smelter by Yoshiaki Mogami, the lord of Yamagata Castle. From the first to the ninth generation, Kiheiji, from the 10th to the 12th generation, Unosuke, from the 13th to the 14th generation, Masanao Kumaji, to the current 15th generation, Masanao, the technique has been passed down uninterrupted.
Kikuchi Hojudo has been recognized numerous times, including the Grand Prize at the 1926 United States World's Fair, the highest honor twice at the Exhibition of Traditional Japanese Crafts, and the Prize of the Japan Arts Foundation. The family also revived the technique of producing Japanese iron pots, made from iron materials and iron sand, in collaboration with the Nagano family, currently headed by the second generation Nagano Tadashi. This perseverance in preserving the technique remains a distinctive trait of the family.
The modern brand WAZUQU, carrying the heritage of this tradition and combining creativity and tradition, has achieved great success in Europe and America, receiving wide support and praise. Thus, Kikuchi Hojudo continues to anchor itself in the present as a stubborn guardian of the richness of its artisanal past.
