Tsuge: Ichirin Sandblasted Bamboo Dublin Tobacco Pipe

Japan's traditional pipe, the kiseru dates to the 16th century, and it's distinguished by a long, slender profile and a much smaller bowl than pipes popular in the West. Historically, kiserus were fashioned from brass or silver, sometimes with a bamboo or hardwood insert between the bowl and stem, and the petite bowls were designed to smoke extra-fine, shag-cut tobaccos. Moreover, certain circles, including the samurai, were known to use extra-long, cast-iron kiserus as weapons, even developing specific martial arts styles around the metal pipes.

As Japan's premier pipe manufacturer, Tsuge presents a modern interpretation of the iconic kiseru in their Ichirin series. Like kiserus of centuries past, this Ichirin piece features a section of bamboo fitted to a small bowl and sleek stem, but it's fashioned from briar instead of metal and with a vulcanite stem fitted to a metal tenon for added durability. This particular example is dressed in an elegant, dark sandblast and accented with metal rings on either side of the bamboo. It's perfect for short smoking sessions and is a beautiful tribute to Japan's pipe-smoking history.