''Donabe'' (Japanese: 土鍋, literally "earthenware pot") are pots made out of a special

clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4). Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay par ...

for use over an open flame in

Japanese cuisine Japanese cuisine encompasses the regional and traditional foods of Japan, which have developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes. The traditional cuisine of Japan (Japanese: ) is based on rice with miso soup and other ...

, and in the case of semi-stoneware

Banko ware is a type of Japanese pottery (Stoneware) traditionally from Yokkaichi, Mie. It is therefore also known as Yokkaichi-Banko ware. It is believed to have originated in the 18th century. Most products are teacups, teapots, flower vases, and ''sake ...

of high

petalite Petalite, also known as castorite, is a lithium aluminum phyllosilicate mineral Li Al Si4 O10, crystallizing in the monoclinic system. Petalite occurs as colorless, pink, grey, yellow, yellow grey, to white tabular crystals and columnar masses. ...

content. Often, the food is cooked at the table on a gas burner for various ''

nabemono ''Nabemono'' (鍋物, なべ物, ''nabe'' "cooking pot" + ''mono'' "thing"), or simply ''nabe'', is a variety of Japanese cuisine, Japanese steamboat (food), hot pot dishes, also known as one pot dishes and "things in a pot". Description Nab ...

'' dishes such as

shabu-shabu ''Shabu-shabu'' ( ja, しゃぶしゃぶ, shabushabu) is a Japanese '' nabemono'' hotpot dish of thinly sliced meat and vegetables boiled in water and served with dipping sauces. The term is onomatopoeic, derived from the sound – "swish sw ...

and dishes served simmering including nabeyaki

udon Udon ( or ) is a thick noodle made from wheat flour, used in Japanese cuisine. It is a comfort food for many Japanese people. There are a variety of ways it is prepared and served. Its simplest form is in a hot soup as with a mild broth called ...

. They are sized by ''sun'', one of the

Japanese units of measurement Traditional Japanese units of measurement or the shakkanhō (, "''shaku–kan'' system") is the traditional system of measurement used by the people of the Japanese archipelago. It is largely based on the Chinese system, which spread to Japan and ...

. The ''donabe'' is usually glazed on the inside and porous on the outside. While the material is similar to

earthenware Earthenware is glazed or unglazed nonvitreous pottery that has normally been fired below . Basic earthenware, often called terracotta, absorbs liquids such as water. However, earthenware can be made impervious to liquids by coating it with a ce ...

stoneware Stoneware is a rather broad term for pottery or other ceramics fired at a relatively high temperature. A modern technical definition is a Vitrification#Ceramics, vitreous or semi-vitreous ceramic made primarily from stoneware clay or non-refracto ...

, donabe can be used over an open flame as well as in an oven if three precautions are taken. First, the outside of the donabe should be dry before use, as moisture within the clay will expand in the heat and may chip or crack the pot. Secondly, the pot should be heated gradually to reduce the possibility of cracks due to heat stress. Third, the pot should never be left over the flame while empty. Donabe is a traditional cooking vessel. It is made from a clay that is porous and coarse. In the area around Iga, ''

Iga-yaki is a style of Japanese pottery traditionally produced in Iga, Mie, former Iga Province, central Japan. History Iga ware's origins are believed to date to the second half of the 7th century and 8th century CE. The area has long produced a clay ...

'' (Iga-style) donabe, have been made since 1832; Iga-yaki pottery in general dates back to the 7th century and is highly valued. It became particularly popular for donabe during the

Edo Period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...

. The highest-quality donabe can take two weeks to make. There are multiple styles of donabe made for the preparation of different dishes. Donabe can be used over an open flame, and food is often served out of the donabe. A culture surrounding donabe developed called "nabe o kakomu", which means "surrounding the pot" or a communal meal. The concept has been featured repeatedly in the media and in donabe cookbooks. With use, donabe develop a patina of crackling of the interior glaze called '' kannyu''. This patina is valued as a sign of character. If properly treated, these pots should last for decades and a few special ones have survived for centuries. When a new ''donabe'' is obtained, one should let the ''donabe'' boil water for hours and dry before using it for cooking. Other sources suggest that the user should simply fill the ''donabe'' with water and let it sit overnight. This process should be repeated if the ''donabe'' has been unused for a long time. In old ryoutei of

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...

, decades-old ''donabe'' would be stored and only used for special guests. Young ''donabe'' would be used for preparing lunch menus and food for cooks, to age them for this purpose. Donabe is produced by potters of

Iga ware is a style of Japanese pottery traditionally produced in Iga, Mie, former Iga Province, central Japan. History Iga ware's origins are believed to date to the second half of the 7th century and 8th century CE. The area has long produced a cl ...

Shigaraki ware Shigaraki ware (信楽焼) is a type of stoneware pottery made in Shigaraki area, Japan. The kiln is one of the Six Ancient Kilns in Japan. Although figures representing the tanuki are a popular product included as Shigaraki ware, the kiln and ...

, and

Mashiko ware is a type of Japanese pottery traditionally made in Mashiko, Tochigi. Early pottery in Mashiko dates back to the Jōmon and Yayoi periods. ''Mashikoyaki'' is often thought of as simple and rustic in style, with brown and maybe a little red ...

. File:Cainz Donabe Hakusen-nagashi 19cm 1.jpg File:Cainz Donabe Hakusen-nagashi 19cm 2.jpg The pots are made by kneading clay, then forming and trimming the formed vessels. They are partially dried and then knobs and handles applied. After another period of drying, they are fired, glazed, and fired again.

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{{Japanese ceramics Japanese food preparation utensils Japanese pottery

See also

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