Kama-shi - Kama-shi

A craftsman who produces iron cast tea kettles (tea ceremony kettles). Also called chagama shi. In the 14th century of the Middle Ages, the main production areas were the kamanza in Kyosanjo, Tenmyo (Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture), and Ashiya (Ashiya Town, Fukuoka Prefecture), but from the 15th century, demand increased with the popularity of tea ceremony, and the casters of tea kettles at the kamanza were specifically called kamanshi. In the 17th century of the early modern period, they were also produced in Edo, Morioka, Sendai, Yamagata, Kanazawa, Kuwana, and other places. They were a residence profession, and the tools used were the same as those used by casters. Kamaya also referred to kamanshi, but it often referred to merchants who purchased tea kettles and other items from kamanshi and sold them. In modern times, demand has decreased, and in Morioka and other places, they are produced along with practical iron kettles, but the former kamanshi have become a minority of artistic craftsmen.

[Motoo Endo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鉄の鋳物の茶釜(ちゃがま)（茶の湯釜）を生産する職人。茶釜師ともいう。中世の14世紀には京三条釜座(かまんざ)、天明(てんみょう)（栃木県佐野市）、芦屋(あしや)（福岡県芦屋町）が主生産地であったが、15世紀から茶の湯の盛行により需要が増加し、釜座の茶釜の鋳物師(いもじ)をとくに釜師といった。近世の17世紀では江戸や盛岡、仙台、山形、金沢、桑名などでも生産された。居職(いじょく)で、工具は鋳物師と同じである。釜屋は釜師のことでもあったが、茶釜などを釜師から仕入れて販売する商人をさすことが多かった。近代からは需要は少なくなり、盛岡などでは実用的な鉄瓶とともに製作されているが、かつての釜師は少数の美術的な作風の工芸作家となった。

［遠藤元男］

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