What are the common misunderstandings about looking after a donabe (clay pot)?
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
The donabe (土鍋, earthenware pot) comes into its own in hot-pot (nabe) season, and is now known abroad by its Japanese name. Here we answer "what do I do before first use?" and "why does it crack?" from the nature of the ceramic itself.
What to go on
| Situation | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First use | Medome: fill to 80% with water, add rice-rinsing water or leftover rice, simmer over a low flame to a porridge, let it cool, then wash | Starch fills the pores in the clay |
| Before heating | Wipe the base dry | Heating a wet base quickly causes cracks |
| Heating | Start on a low flame; never heat it empty | Sudden temperature change, overheating |
| Washing | After it has cooled, a little detergent, no soaking | Water on a hot pot cracks it; long soaking soaks in |
| Drying | Dry completely, base upwards | The base is bare clay; if damp, it grows mould |
| Storage | Only when dry. Put newspaper between pots | Humidity |
- Most donabe are not compatible with induction (IH) hobs (only those labelled IH-compatible); check the product label for microwave and oven use too.
- A crack can sometimes be stopped for a time with medome, but if it keeps leaking, stop using it — the safe side.
- NITE (National Institute of Technology and Evaluation, Japan's product-safety body) has reported accidents from donabe heated empty or cracking.
[Verify] The medome method is a general procedure based on guidance from pottery regions and makers. Check accident cases in NITE's product-accident information.
Misunderstanding 1｜Medome is done once only
The effect fades with use. Repeat it when leaks or smells start to bother you.
Misunderstanding 2｜Once smells have soaked in, it is time for a new pot
Methods shared among people living in Japan include simmering tea leaves, or diluted vinegar, to reduce the smell. Doing medome again afterwards usually settles it.
Misunderstanding 3｜Dunking the hot pot in water gets the washing done quickly
Sudden cooling is the biggest cause of cracking. Wash after it has cooled.
Misunderstanding 4｜A donabe is fine on any gas burner
A large donabe on a tabletop cassette-gas stove (kasetto konro) can overheat the gas canister, which is dangerous. Check the size limit in the stove's instructions (the Consumer Affairs Agency and NITE have issued alerts).
Misunderstanding 5｜Donabe crack so easily that a plastic-handled metal pot is better value
A donabe has cooking advantages — gentle, even heat and high heat retention — and with care lasts more than ten years. Most cracks come from three avoidable causes: sudden cooling, heating empty and a wet base.
---
Sources
- National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE) [独立行政法人製品評価技術基盤機構], "Accidents involving donabe and cassette-gas stoves" [土鍋・カセットこんろの事故]
https://www.nite.go.jp/jiko/chuikanki/
- Consumer Affairs Agency, "Safe use of cassette-gas stoves" [カセットこんろの安全な使い方]
https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/consumer_safety/caution/
- Mie Prefecture "Yokkaichi Banko ware" / Iga ware and other pottery-region associations, "How to use a donabe" [土鍋の使い方]
https://www.banko.or.jp/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
About this article
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
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