Kaikado
Kaikado was established in 1875, shortly after Japan opened its doors to the rest of the world. In the Edo era, canisters made from tin were a commonplace means of storage for tea. It was the company's founder, Kiyosuke, who first designed the tea caddy and made it into a commercially available item.
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His aim was to provide a well-designed, functional tea caddy capable of storing the type of tea leaves commonly sold by dealers. In a time before the invention of the refrigerator, air tightness was key to maintaining the flavour and quality of freshly picked leaves. With a manufacturing process that involves anywhere between 130 to 140 steps, the hand-made caddies have virtually remained true to the designs established by Kaikado's founding generation. The die and mold used in the early years of the company is still in use today, whilst some shapes of tea caddy used 130 years ago are still in production today.
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Growing beauty through time is the principle fascination of the Chazutsu caddy. As the surface oxidized a little more by every time you touch it an elegant sheen will be added to the caddy, telling the tale of everyday life rituals. Chazutsu provides utility and pleasure as it ages gracefully with ownership.
