Ginpo Banko Donabe "Japanese Clay Pot"

In 1932, Sutematsu Kumamoto, the first generation of the company, built a factory to realize high quality manufacturing that I can be satisfied with. In the midst of hardships and challenges, he listened to the voices of users and continued to develop earthenware pots that fit into people's lives. The "Kikka" series, completed through this history, continues to bring smiles to diners around the world.

Donabe "Japanese Clay pot" are used in Japanese restaurants that serve authentic hot pot dishes such as Chanko-nabe, Kimuchi-nabe and Oden. Do you know why?

This is simply because using a Donabe is the best way to make your food tasty.

Cooking professionals knew this from their senses, but it is also known scientifically that cooking with a Donabe can produce 30% more glutamic acid, one of the ingredients that humans find delicious, compared to using metal pots.

Features

It is said that glutamic acid, the main ingredient of "Umami", is produced more when the temperature of the protein in the food is between 35-55℃. Earthenware pots can help this process with the following features.

Gentle Heating

A Donabe, whose temperature rises slowly when heated, can bring out the umami of ingredients and produce a clear soup without falling apart.

Excellent heat storage

Since Donabe do not change temperature easily, they retain heat even after heating is stopped.

Effect of far-infrared rays

The far-infrared rays emitted by Donabe heat the food evenly and keep the umami flavor intact.

What is Kikka Donabe?

Kikka Donabe is the realization of the wishes of people who cook, as Ginpo has been making clay pots loved by many cooks for many years. While earthenware pots make food tasty, there was an unchangeable common sense that they were troublesome to clean and handle. But now, thanks to Ginpo's technology, these problems have become avoidable.

Three common practices that Ginpo has overcome

No need to season

Conventional clay pots need to be filled with water dissolved in flour and boiled for a long time before use to seal the minute holes in the surface of the clay pot.Kikka clay pots do not require this sealing process and are ready to use as soon as they arrive at your home.

15% lighter than conventional products

Clay pots used to be heavy and difficult to carry, but through the optimization of our unique clay blend and shape, we have succeeded in reducing the weight by 15% without compromising heat retaining properties.

Easy to care

One of the reasons people hesitate to use clay pots was that it was difficult to remove stains and odors from the bottom of the pot, but these have been greatly improved by an in-house developed glaze.

Furthermore...

It is designed to be lower in height than a typical Donabe, making it easy to store in a cupboard! The lid can be flipped upside down to make it even more compact.

In making products, Ginpo is involved in the "food and daily life" of the users, and we hope that our products will help them to feel good both mentally and physically. In order to achieve this, we believe that quality and user-friendly design are essential.

Ginpo’s product quality is supported by craftsmen with excellent skills. Our approach toward product quality has been handed down from the founder. We maintain the performance and durability of our products at a higher level through integrated production management, through an in-house process from the selection of raw materials to the mixing of clay and of glaze, forming, glazing, firing and inspection. Constantly conducting research, we will improve the process every time with better raw material, better mixing styles, and new manufacturing methods.

Ginpo will continue to add the essence of the times to our specialty, heat-resistant ceramics, to create products that enrich our dining experience. We will be happy if our customers have a wonderful time with our products.

Materials

Our work begins with making the best clay and glaze most suited for creating ceramic pots. The raw materials for making pots are selected from around the world. In pursuit of an extremely high-grade petalite, which influences the heat-resistance of products, we import petalite from a mine in Zimbabwe, to which we make a special request. Our clay is made by mixing these raw materials. This original clay lays the foundation for our pots, with a performance capable of enduring temperature changes of up to 650 ℃

Also, our glaze is made through our original formulation in our factory, in which we use no lead or cadmium, and boasts not only a beautiful finish but also high performance in preventing stains and odors, and easier maintenance. Based on these original clays and glazes, properties such as high heat-resistance, heat storage and durability are developed, and these raw materials are transformed into GINPO’s ceramic pots, allowing its customers to cook and enjoy highly satisfying meals.

Technology

The power of a roller machine and a pressure casting method are mainly used in the forming process. Through our cultivated forming technique, we consistently manufacture highly accurate, stable products. We have also designed the shapes of our products to ensure that the pot is not chipped by bumped against other objects.

The glazing and painting on the pot are finished both by machines and manually, through various methods suited to the respective models.

The firing, the final manufacturing process for our products, is performed in a brick tunnel kiln approximately 60m long. While a sagger: a container with products for firing on a cart is put into the kiln from one end and is slowly maneuvered through the tunnel to the exit at the opposite end, the products undergo continuous firing, during which pre-heating, firing and cooling are applied. A computer manages the firing process in order to finely adjust the temperature, so that each product is fired at the appropriate temperature over 24 hours.

What you can do?

The beautiful clay pots not only as kitchenware but also as tableware can be used in many ways other than authentic pot cooking.

Kikka Donabe

Kikka Rice Cooker

Signature Products

GINPO Kikka Banko Donabe Japanese Clay Pot

GINPO Kikka Japanese Clay Pot is the next generation of clay pots that match the modern lifestyle. It can be used immediately after purchase because it does not need to be seasoned before use. It is 15% lighter than conventional products while retaining the heat retaining properties of clay pots. It is easier to handle and you can enjoy freshly cooked hot food on the table. The black body part uses an in-house developed glaze that prevents odor and stain problems. You can enjoy not only hot pot dishes, but also soup curry, cheese fondue, and many other dishes. In order to create a beautiful table, the coloring is based on traditional Japanese colors. The design matches today's diversified interiors.

Available in 2 colors: Navy and Brown

Dimension:
・D24cm(9.4in) x H13.5cm(5.3in) / 1.9L(64.2oz) / For 2 to 3 persons
・D28.5cm(11.2in) x H15.5cm(6.1in) / 2.7L(91.3oz) / For 4 people

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GINPO Kikka Banko Donabe Rice Cooker

Anyone can easily make delicious rice in just 30 minutes with this Kikka Japanese Clay Rice Cooker. The water level scale is engraved on the inside of the pot, saving you the time of measuring the water with a measuring cup. The double-lid construction eliminates the risk of spillage, and with the simple step of "turn off the heat when you see steam," anyone can easily enjoy freshly cooked, delicious rice. It can be reheated and served at the table as it is, as it is designed to fit in a household microwave oven. Suitable for stewed dishes in addition to cooked rice. Oden, stew, and soup etc. are less likely to fall apart, and the broth soaks into the ingredients well, giving them more Umami.
Mr. Hidemasa Yamamoto, the former Executive Chef of The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C., and the first Executive Chef of Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo, has also given his seal of approval to the product, saying that it is easy to use and produces delicious freshly cooked rice without any mistakes.

Available in Navy

Dimention:
・D22.5cm(8.9in) x H16cm(6.3in) / 1.8ℓ(60.9oz)
＜Rice capacity: 2 to 3 cups＞
・D25.5cm(10in) x H18cm(7.1in) / 2.6ℓ (88oz)
＜Rice capacity: 3 to 5 cups＞

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