Kamado-san Shiro

Special Limited Edition: Double-Lid Donabe Rice Cooker, Kamado-san Shiro

Our Best Seller Donabe, Kamado-san in White

Our best seller double-lid donabe rice cooker, Kamado-san, is available in white color as a special limited edition! Since its debut in 2000, Kamado-san donabe has only been made in black color. This special edition of white Kamado-san  is realized when we asked Nagatani-en and they finally agreed to do so for our donabe fans in the US!

The only difference is the glaze - this white glaze is another signature color Nagatani-en uses in other donabe items, and all the functions are exactly the same as our black Kamado-san. So, please find more details about the product in our main Kamado-san product page linked here.

The size is available in the standard 3-rice cup size only. As the quantity made is limited, this item will be available only until we sell out.

Suggested items to purchase with Kamado-san: Rice Measuring Cup (Japanese 1-go/ 1 rice-cup size) for easy measuring of rice.

True “Terroir” of Iga

Iga region, where this donabe is made, used to be the bed of Lake Biwa about 4 million years ago. The clay from this region is naturally highly heat-resistant and has been used for open-flame cooking for many hundreds of years. This clay consists of a high level of pre-historic fossilized microorganisms that leave the clay porous when fired. The porous body gives the donabe remarkable heat-retention ability. The donabe gradually builds the heat when it’s heated, then it cools down very slowly after the heat is turned off. This, along with the glaze that promotes the far infrared rays (FIR – the same effect as how the glowing charcoal cook ingredients without direct flame) when it’s heated, allow the donabe to produce a gentle, steady heat that penetrates to the core of each ingredient. The effect is ingredients are cooked evenly with all the flavors sealed inside.

Authentic Iga-yaki pottery by Nagatani-en

Iga-yaki (Iga-style) pottery is one of Japan’s most highly-regarded traditional ceramics and is said to have originated in Iga, Mie-Prefecture in the late 7th Century. This donabe is made by Nagatani-en, a leading producer of authentic Iga-yaki pottery since 1832. At Nagatani-en, each donabe is made by hand with care and it takes about 2 weeks to produce an individual donabe. Nagatani-en’s Iga-yaki products have been loved by both professionals and home cooks in Japan.

Your donabe develops its character as it ages

As you use your donabe over and over, it develops character and that’s something to be welcomed.

• The very thin cracks could appear on the surface (glaze) of the donabe. It’s called “kannyu” in Japanese and the cracks run like veins. They are the naturally developed cracks on the glaze and won’t affect the function of the donabe.

• Once you start using the donabe, the bottom part starts to change its color and black spots (like burned spots) could appear. It’s also the part of developing the character and the donabe is safe to use. However, if the bottom part seems to get too black too quickly, the heat you use might be too high. In this case, we suggest that you use the donabe over lower heat level.

All the donabe and Iga-yaki products made by Nagatani-en are hand-crafted with care, so every piece is unique and no two pieces are identical. There are slight variations within the color/ shade, shape/ curve, and patterns, among pieces, and that makes each piece so special. Also under different lighting and angle, the actual color shade and nuance may also appear slightly different from the photos in the product page.

3 Rice-Cup Size

Ideal for 4 - 6 servings. Our best seller standard-size.

• Size: 9.5” x 12”x 7” high (24 cm x 30 cm x 18 cm high) – including handles and lid
• Capacity: 1.5 qt (1,500 ml)
• Able to cook up to 3 rice cups (about 2 ¼ US cups =540 ml) of uncooked rice
• Weight: 8 lbs (3.6 kg) – not including the trivet

Material: Clay
Producer: Nagatani-en
Origin: Iga, Japan
Included in the package: Donabe (bowl, inner lid, and outer lid), wooden rice paddle (Beechwood), and English instruction sheet.

Usage and Care

• Ideal for gas stove top use. This donabe is not suitable for electric or induction cooktop.
• Oven-safe (up to 500℉/ 250℃). This donabe is not suitable for microwave.
• Hand wash only.
• Before the first use, this donabe must be seasoned (How to Season Donabe).