One of Japan’s oldest cooking vessels, the earthenware donabe (Japanese clay pot) is also a highly versatile tool in today’s kitchen. It’s a one-pot wonder for cooking hot pot dishes, stews, Japanese rice, and more. Today, I‘ll show you how to choose the best donabe.
During the winter months, the Japanese enjoy various hot pot dishes, called must not (鍋) or nabemono (鍋物). The most popular nabe dishes you might know include Shabu Shabu and Sukiyakibut there are regional dishes like Ishikari Nabe from Hokkaido that are not known worldwide yet.
Hot pot dishes are typically cooked in Donabe (土鍋), a traditional Japanese clay pot. These days, Japanese earthenware pots are available to purchase online and I highly recommend getting one for your kitchen! I receive several questions from my readers about how to select the best donabe. Today, I’ll cover some key points to consider, from the material used to your heat source to specialized donabe for cooking rice. If you are looking for how to season your donabe, read my tutorial post.
What is Donabe?
Made of special clay, donabe is a centuries-old cooking vessel from Japan. While these unique clay pots are most commonly used for hot pot dishes, they are also an essential and highly versatile tool for everyday cooking. Donabe is excellent for making soups, stews, and braised dishes. You can also use it for steaming, roasting, and cooking the most amazing rice you’ve ever had!
Donabe holds heat exceptionally well, making it an ideal vessel for cooking dishes that require liquid and long cooking times. It is essentially the ultimate one-pot wonder! I also believe it has the best capability for cooking rice.
Different Types of Donabe
Clay pots have different characteristics depending on the material used. Let’s understand the characteristics of the most common types of pottery.
Banko ware or Banko-yaki (萬古焼) is produced in Komono-cho and Yokkaichi City, Mie Prefecture, which accounts for about 80% of the national production of donabe. Banko ware has excellent heat resistance and can withstand open flames and dry firing. The surface is smooth and glossy with a wide variety of designs. Popular brands include Ginpo and Kagetsu.
Iga ware or Iga-yaki (Iga ware) is produced mainly in Iga City, Mie Prefecture. It has high heat resistance and heat storage properties, making it suitable for stewed dishes. The natural coloring and unique rough texture are attractive. The most popular brand is Nagatanien.
Enter separately or Shigaraki-war (信楽焼) is made around Shigaraki in Shiga prefecture. It is made using coarse soil, so it is highly heat resistant and can be used on gas stovetops and direct fire. It’s quite durable and long-lasting. Popular brands are Kanefusa Seito, Hechimonand Kumoigama.
Ceramic pots (セラミック鍋) don’t have the unique texture of the earthenware pots mentioned above. They also aren’t porous, so there’s no need to season them. Many ceramic pots are functional and convenient, and they can be used on induction heating (IH) cooktops.
Choose the Right Donabe Size
I recommend a No. 9 donabe if you are cooking for 4 people. For other sizes and servings, see below:
- No. 5 (No. 5, 5-go)—1 person; 6 inches or 14–16 cm in diameter
- No. 6 (No. 6, 6-go)—1–2 person; 7.5 inches or 17–19 cm in diameter
- No. 7 (No. 7, 7-go)—2–3 people; 8.7 inches or 20–22 cm in diameter
- No. 8 (No. 8, 8-go)—3–4 people; 9.4 inches or 23–25 cm in diameter
- No. 9 (No. 9, 9-go)—4–5 people; 10.6 inches or 26–28 cm in diameter
- No. 10 (No. 10, 10-go)—5–6 people; 12 inches or 29–31 cm in diameter
Best Donabe for Coil-Top Electric Stoves
Traditional donabe can be used only on open flames (gas stoves) and most of them are not IH (induction heating) compatible. If you have an electric stove, you can purchase a portable butane gas burner to use a traditional donabe. My family uses it so we can cook hot pot dishes at the table.
Unlike conventional donabe, this Ginpo Brand’s Kikka Blue Donabe is designed to use on a coil-top electric cooktop, but not on induction heating.
It requires no seasoning before use, and is also microwave/oven-safe!
Best Donabe for Induction Heating Stoves
FIFTH carries modern-style donabe pots that can be used on IH (induction heating). My friends use it and they all love it.
Best Donabe Rice Cookers
You can make delicious rice in a regular donabe, but there are some donabe designed specifically for cooking rice. I have two brands in my kitchen and I love them both. I think it’s worth investing in if you are not using an electric rice cooker.
- Hario Gohangama—I LOVE my Hario donabe rice cooker that cooks 2–3 rice cooker cups of rice. I like its functionality, too. It has water lines, the glass lid makes it easy to see inside, and the whistling cap lets you know when it‘s almost done cooking. It’s quite sturdy, so I don’t need to worry about chipping.
- Nagatanien Kamado-san—I love the traditional design and look of this donabe rice cooker. However, it’s more fragile and chips easily, so I only use it on special occasions.
How To Season and Care for Your Donabe
When you purchase a brand-new donabe and take it out of the box, you must season it before using. In Japanese, we refer to this seasoning process as medome (目止め). Make sure to season your brand-new Japanese clay pot following my step-by-step donabe seasoning tutorial! The tutorial also includes important tips for how to care for your donabe.
Delicious Donabe Recipes
Here are some of the Japanese hot pot recipes that you might enjoy cooking in your donabe!
