The clay of of Iga region comes from 4-million-year-old earth layers which used to be the bottom of Biwa Lake.  From this special historic porous clay, which naturally has the high absorbency and heat retention, all the Iga-yaki (traditional Iga-style pottery), including “Kamado-san” is made.


“Kamado-san” is truly an artisanal piece of work.  It takes about 2 weeks for a “Kamado-san” to be made.  Each “Kamado-san” is born after a long process of care and detailed works by many experienced craftsmen. 

1.Forming the clay

2. Shaving

By using the plaster mold, clay is formed into “Kamado-san”.

After the forming, each “Kamado-san” is shaved with a plane to make the rough surface.  By doing so, the surface area to which the heat will directly reach becomes wider.

3. Attaching “ears”

4. Drying

The handles of donabe, called “ears”, are glued by the clay which is thinned with water.  The lady with the hat has been an expert of attaching ears for 20 years.

Before the first baking, “Kamado-san” is dried in the air for 1 week.  Because “Kamado-san” is made thicker than regular donabe, it’s important that it dries slowly.

6. First glazing

5. First baking

The first baking is done in order to make “Kamado-san” solid after it’s dried.

Thin glaze is applied as a base.

8. Final baking

7. Final glazing

Denser glaze is applied as a final touch.  It takes two people for this work.  One person glazes a “Kamado-san”, and other person wipes off the excess glaze as well as checks the final quality.

In the large gas oven, “Kamado-san” is baked for 12 hours, then cooled down for another 12 hours in the oven.

9. Out of the oven

10. Inspection

Even after 12 hours of cooling down, these “Kamado-san” right out of the oven are still very warm.

Once completely cooled down, each “Kamado-san” is carefully checked by expert eyes, then put into a box.  “Kamado-san” is now ready to ship.

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