What is a Kiseru?

Put Simply, A kiseru is a smoking pipe with a small bowl used in japan to smoke finely shredded tobacco.

History of the Kiseru

When tobacco was introduced to Japan in the mid 16th century by the Portuguese, tobacco pipes were long and narrow with small bowls made often of clay or brass. The Japanese immediately took up domestic production of tobacco and smoking pipes, and soon smoking was as Japanese as sushi.

As the decades passed, the Japanese prided themselves on finer and finer cuts of tobacco finally reaching a thinness that matched human hair. As the cut got thinner, the bowl of the Japanese pipes had to get smaller to match, and before long, the bowls were only 7-10 mm in width.

As the appetite for tobacco and pipes grew, and became more central to Japanese culture, the pipes, like the tobacco, were refined over the decades until they became the slender elegant pieces that we see today.

For hundreds of years the Kiseru was an institution of Japanese society on the scale of tea in Britain. Only recently in the early 20th century did the Kiseru fall out of favor as western influence spread the use of cigarettes to the east. Now only used sparingly, the Kiseru is mostly enjoyed as a collectors item.

Our goal at Taima Pipe Company, fueled by our passion for collecting antique Japanese Kiseru, is to revitalize use of the Kiseru, and introduce it to a modern audience.

Although our pipes were originally designed for tobacco, they are also excellent for marijuana when used as a one-hitter. Collectors and cosplayers will also enjoy our fine Kiseru pipes.

For more info, view this document