A Hibachi

A hibachi is a portable fireplace that was often used in older Japanese homes for the sake of keeping its occupant’s warm and for boiling water to prepare tea.

Originally made from ash placed in wooden boxes, the hibachi evolved to include materials including ceramics, rattan and even metal. The Hibachi, which was made of copper, was used in the Nara period only by the upper class but was readily available to a wider Japanese household in the Edo period when ceramic ware became popular.