The development of human civilization and technology would have been impossible without the diversification and advancement of “Materials.”  Ancient humankind, for example, sintered natural clay at high temperatures to produce earthenware, which leads to modern ceramics. In addition, ancient humankind developed a method for extracting and refining metals from minerals by utilizing energy, and using metal materials brought about innovations in civilization and technology.
The Tatara is an old Japanese ironmaking technology that was developed from ancient times and has been passed down for more than a thousand years. Wood charcoal has been used to reduce iron sand and iron ore at relatively low temperatures (removing oxygen from iron oxide) to produce high-purity iron.
In the Department of Materials Engineering, Tatara ironmaking is demonstrated by student volunteers as an exhibition at the May Festival every year. Through the demonstration, they experience the creation of materials themselves and learn about technological and academic development of materials science and engineering. In the lounge, KERA, an iron ingot, produced by Tatara operation at the May Festival is on display.

Demonstration of Tatara (ancient iron production process) and the produced iron ingot
2017
Production: Department of Materials Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
Collection: Department of Materials Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
Tatara is an old iron production method in Japan. As an opportunity to experience the material creation technology controlling substance and energy, the Tatara iron production is demonstrated every year at May Festival by student volunteers in Department of Materials Engineering.