This beautiful donabe is hand crafted by pottery artist Nakagawa Ichishiro in Shiga Prefecture from a design co-developed with Matsuda-san. Like all of the products in Matsuda-san's Jizai Dougu collection, she has made a number of changes to traditional donabe design to improve its function. For example, the weight of the lid is about 1kg (2.2 lbs), allowing the donabe to act almost like a pressure cooker. She and Nakagawa-san also relocated the steam vent from the traditional side location to the middle, which improves air circulation during cooking. The design also incorporates thick walls, which yields more pronounced and cleaner flavors.

We love how substantial it feels when you pick it up. And the deep green glaze is incredibly eye-catching. This is an exceptional piece of pottery.

Use for most donabe applications like tonjiru, shabu shabu, mizutaki. We also like using it to make dishes like mapo tofu, Japanese curry, etc.

Can be used on gas burners, in ovens and in the microwave.

Product Details:

• Liquid capacity: 2½ liters (84.5 oz)
• Donabe: 12⅔" in diameter x 4" in height (32.2cm x 10.2cm)
• Lid: 10⅛" in diameter x 3" in height (25.7cm x 7.6cm)
• Crafted in Shiga Prefecture

What follows are Jizai Dougu’s Care and Usage Instructions translated from the original Japanese:

Thank you for purchasing our clay pot. Potter Ichishiro’s clay pots can be used immediately after washing. Because the clay pots breathe, they make food even more delicious. We make the best use of this nature, so by using them for a long period of time, they may partially get burnt due to food soaking into the pores, and dark liquid may be seen. Please boil water and pour out, repeat 2-3 times, so the dark liquid will be removed.

As this clay pot is fired up at a high temperature, the glaze will not melt, and no materials and ingredients are harmful to humans, so it is safe for your use.

Culinary expert Michiko Matsuda thought, “I wish there were a pot like…,” “It would be nice….,” and the potter Ichishiro Nakagawa made her wish come true with his craftsmanship and sensibility.

Unlike any other donabes, you can use this pot for stir frying, pan frying, and it is oven safe. You can use it on a cooking stove immediately after washing and drying it, and the residual heat is powerful. It is an almighty pot.

Food will be perfectly heated from the center by infrared effects, thus, creating delicious dishes. Great for stewing as well. Please enjoy the true pleasure of clay pot like never before.

Handling Note

• Please wash before use.
• Over time, food stains and other residue may cause discoloration and leakage of dark liquid from the donabe. To resolve this issue, simply boil water in the donabe, discard the water and repeat a few times. This simple procedure will restore the donabe.
• This earthenware donabe is made with non-toxic materials. You can use it without any concern, and it is safe because it is also fired at a high temperature, and the glaze will not leach out to the donabe's contents.
• Please ensure that the earthenware is completely dry before storing it. Otherwise, it will be susceptible to molding.
• Given that the donabe is made of ceramics, it is susceptible to breaking if struck by a hard object or dropped. Therefore, it is essential to handle it with care. By exercising care, you can enjoy its unique flavor and durability for many years.
• This donabe becomes hotter than ordinary clay pots when heated. When you handle the donabe or lid, please use a potholder and a thick sturdy trivet. If the trivet is not thick enough, it may get burnt.