Kama (Japanese tea ceremony)

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Kama (釜) or chagama (茶釜) are cast iron pots used to heat water to make tea in Japanese tea ceremonies. For the tea-making that is done in the presence of the guests, it is either heated over a charcoal brazier (furo) or over the hearth (ro) that is built into the floor of the tea room and used in the cold season.

They are often round or cylindrical, and normally have a lug on each side, for inserting circular metal handles called kan in order to carry the kama and/or hang it over the ro. There are some kinds that are made to fit the mouth of the brazier perfectly, and therefore do not need to be rested over the charcoal fire in the brazier on a tripod.