Donabe
specialtyPot
Japanese earthenware pot, glazed inside and rough-clay outside, 20-30 cm across. Its high thermal mass means it heats slowly but holds steady — once at simmer, it stays there for 30+ minutes after the burner goes off. Donabe are the canonical vessel for nabe hot-pot, takikomi gohan (rice cooked with seasonings), and ojiya (rice porridge), where slow gentle heat is the whole point.
Origin
Iga Province in Mie Prefecture is the heartland — Iga clay contains fossilized organic matter that creates fine air pockets in the fired pot, making it both heat-retaining and unusually shock-resistant. Iga-yaki donabe have been made on the same kilns for over a thousand years; the modern double-bottomed ones for rice cooking are a 20th-century refinement.