兵庫県·特産品
Ikko Charcoal (Kiku-zumi)
The cross-section when split looks just like a blooming chrysanthemum—it is this beauty that gives Kawanishi City's Ikko Charcoal its name, 'Kiku-zumi' (Chrysanthemum Charcoal). It is a premium grade of charcoal that has been revered in tea ceremonies because it ignites easily, maintains heat well, and burns quietly without producing much smoke. Charcoal making has been practiced around the Kurokawa area in the northernmost part of Kawanishi City since the Muromachi period. By burning young oak trees (kunugi) aged about 8 to 10 years, the cross-section splits into a pattern resembling a chrysanthemum flower. It is an illustrious charcoal said to have been favored by the tea master Sen no Rikyu and praised by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Today, there are very few producers left, making this a precious piece of manual craftsmanship. Within each quietly glowing red ember resides a long history and the skill of the artisans.
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