Chūshin Kōbō is a casting studio in Yamagata Prefecture, established in 1997 by designer and maker Hisanori Masuda. Yamagata imono (山形鋳物) — the region's iron and copper casting tradition — dates to the Heian period and is designated by METI as a traditional craft of Japan. Where many Yamagata foundries serve temple and tea ceremony markets, Masuda chose to bring the weight and warmth of cast metal into contemporary homes. He designs every piece himself and oversees each stage of production, from sand mould preparation to final patination, embodying the shōkunin (職人) ideal of personal responsibility from start to finish.

The studio works primarily with iron, aluminium and bronze, using sand mould and lost-wax casting techniques. Molten metal is ladled by hand into individually prepared moulds, then ground, filed and finished with enamel, lacquer or patina coatings. The process is deliberately hand-centred — no automated production lines — which means each piece carries the subtle irregularities of human judgement. Masuda's philosophy is that traditional casting has always been innovative; what matters is the interplay between technical rigour and sensitivity to how people live.

At iromizu, Chūshin Kōbō's pieces live within our Calm Interval collection — incense holders that catch ash with quiet precision, the tea incense that infuses subtle tea aroma to your space with dazzling candle light. These are objects that ask nothing of you except to pause, notice the weight, and enjoy the moment. Explore the range below.