Furo is a portable charcoal brazier used to heat the kettle for preparing matcha in the Japanese tea ceremony.
It is generally used from May to October, replacing the ro as the weather becomes warmer.
By moving the fire farther from the guests and placing it on the tatami, the furo creates a sense of visual coolness appropriate for the warmer seasons.
Furo are traditionally made in several forms, including tsuchi-buro (clay braziers), karakane-buro (cast bronze braziers), and tetsu-buro (iron braziers).
The host selects a suitable furo according to the formality of the gathering (shin, gyō, and sō) and its harmony with the accompanying utensils.
The change from ro to furo also involves different kettles, charcoal, incense, and hishaku (bamboo ladles), together with seasonal variations in the procedures for preparing thin tea (usucha), thick tea (koicha), and charcoal arrangement (sumi-temae).
When a tana (display shelf) is used, it is likewise chosen to suit the furo.