How to Care for Japanese Tableware: Pottery, Porcelain, Lacquer, Wood, Glass & Metal

Oct 02, 2026

Japanese tableware is often sold by material—pottery, porcelain, lacquer, wood, glass or metal—but care cannot be decided from material names alone.

Two plates that look similar can have different dishwasher or microwave instructions. A wooden bowl may be hand-wash only, while another has a coating designed for dishwasher use. Traditional lacquerware is usually kept away from dishwashers and microwaves, but some modern lacquer products are specifically engineered to tolerate them.

The safest rule is therefore simple:

Follow the maker’s care instructions first. Use material-level guidance only as a default when product-specific information is unavailable.

This guide explains those defaults, the reasons behind them, and the practical care routine for Japanese pottery, porcelain, lacquerware, wood, glass and metal tableware.

Start with the product label, not the appearance

Japanese tableware often combines material, glaze, decoration and finishing techniques that change how a piece can be used.

Before putting any piece in a dishwasher, microwave, oven or freezer, check for:

maker instructions;
microwave, oven or dishwasher symbols;
metallic gold, silver or platinum decoration;
lacquer, resin or special surface coatings;
cracks, chips or crazing;
wooden or glued components;
and whether the piece is ordinary tableware or heat-resistant cookware.

A rule such as “porcelain is microwave-safe” is too broad. Many porcelain products are, but metallic decoration can change that. Likewise, “wood cannot go in a dishwasher” is a useful default, but modern manufacturers now sell specially finished wooden tableware that is explicitly dishwasher-safe.

A quick care matrix

Material	Default washing approach	Dishwasher	Microwave	Main risk
Porcelain	Soft sponge + mild detergent	Often possible if maker allows	Often possible if no incompatible decoration and maker allows	Chipping, decoration wear, thermal shock
Pottery / earthenware	Hand wash when uncertain; dry fully	Product-specific	Product-specific	Water absorption, stains, cracking, thermal shock
Urushi lacquerware	Gentle hand wash	Usually no unless explicitly approved	Usually no unless explicitly approved	Heat, dryness, soaking, abrasion
Natural wood	Quick hand wash; dry promptly	Usually no unless explicitly approved	Usually no	Warping, cracking, coating damage
Glass	Soft sponge; avoid impact	Only when suitable for dishwasher	Only heat-resistant glass labelled for it	Thermal shock, scratches, chips
Stainless steel	Wash soon after use; dry	Often possible if unplated and maker allows	No	Scratches, stains, corrosion from unsuitable chemicals

This table is a starting point, not permission to ignore the individual product.

How should Japanese porcelain be cared for?

Porcelain generally has lower water absorption than many pottery bodies and is often straightforward to care for. Japanese manufacturers such as Noritake and KINTO sell many porcelain pieces that are explicitly dishwasher- and microwave-safe.

For normal washing:

use a soft sponge;
use ordinary mild dishwashing detergent;
avoid metal scourers and abrasive cleaners;
do not knock plates against one another in the sink or dishwasher;
and remove food residue reasonably soon after use.

Even durable porcelain can chip at rims and feet when pieces strike each other.

Can porcelain go in the dishwasher?

Often, yes—but check the product.

Noritake notes that prolonged dishwasher use can gradually affect patterns or create fine surface scratches, even on pieces without gold or silver decoration. Decorated tableware may therefore benefit from hand washing if appearance over many years is the priority.

If a porcelain piece has gold, silver, platinum or delicate overglaze decoration, hand washing is the safer default unless the maker explicitly states otherwise.

Can porcelain go in the microwave?

Many undecorated porcelain pieces can, when labelled accordingly.

Metallic decoration is the obvious warning sign. Gold and silver details can make a piece unsuitable for ordinary microwave use, although some modern products use specially designed metallic finishes that the maker certifies as microwave-safe.

Do not guess from appearance. Check the actual product specification.

Pottery and porcelain are not the same care problem

Japanese tōki—pottery or earthenware—can be more absorbent than porcelain. Some pieces have porous clay bodies, exposed foot rings or glazes that develop character through use.

Our guide to Japanese tableware materials explains the structural differences between pottery and porcelain. For care, the important distinction is that some pottery can absorb water, oil or colour more readily.

What is medome?

Medome (目止め) is a pre-use treatment sometimes recommended for absorbent Japanese pottery.

Some makers instruct owners to simmer or soak new pottery using starchy water, traditionally rice-washing water, so fine pores become less prone to absorbing food liquids.

But medome is not required for all Japanese ceramics.

Marumitsu Poterie, for example, specifies medome only for relevant material categories, while KINTO notes that some modern pottery bodies have sufficiently low absorption that the treatment is unnecessary.

Therefore:

Do not perform medome merely because a piece was made in Japan. Follow the maker’s instructions for that specific ware.

Should porous pottery be soaked before use?

Some makers recommend briefly soaking absorbent pottery in clean water before serving food. The idea is that water enters available pores first, reducing the amount of sauce, oil or coloured liquid that can penetrate during the meal.

This practice is particularly relevant to some unglazed or partially glazed earthenware.

Again, it is not a universal ritual for every bowl or plate.

Dry pottery completely before storing it

This is one of the most important care rules for absorbent pottery.

If water has entered the clay body, the surface can appear dry before the inside is fully dry. Storing such a piece in a closed cupboard can encourage odour, staining or mould.

Marumitsu advises thoroughly drying absorbent pottery after washing before storage.

For thick or porous pieces, give them generous air-drying time rather than wiping the outside and immediately stacking them away.

What about crazing?

Fine lines in a glaze can be intentional, expected or part of how certain ceramics age. They can also provide pathways where colour from tea, coffee, sauces or oils becomes visible over time.

Crazing is not automatically a defect, but owners should distinguish decorative glaze character from structural cracks.

If a crack passes through the body, leaks, grows, or makes the piece unsafe, stop using it for food until it has been assessed.

Can pottery go in a dishwasher?

There is no single answer.

Some Japanese pottery is specifically dishwasher-safe. Other handmade, absorbent, decorated or delicate pieces are better hand washed.

If the maker does not state dishwasher compatibility, hand washing is the conservative choice.

Can pottery go in a microwave?

Again, check the product.

Some ceramic tableware is microwave-safe; some is not. Pieces with metallic decoration, certain glazes, repaired areas, wooden components or unknown construction should not be assumed safe.

And ordinary ceramic tableware should not be confused with dedicated heat-resistant cookware such as some donabe.

For clay cooking pots, use our Donabe guide, because direct flame, seasoning and thermal-shock rules are different from ordinary plates and bowls.

Avoid sudden temperature changes

Thermal shock can crack ceramic and glass objects.

A hot vessel should not be placed suddenly on a very cold or wet surface unless it was designed for that use. Likewise, moving a cold ceramic piece directly into strong heat can create stress.

Heat-resistant cookware may tolerate conditions ordinary tableware cannot.

How should urushi lacquerware be washed?

Traditional lacquerware requires a different mindset from ceramic tableware.

For ordinary care:

wash soon after use;
use lukewarm water;
use a soft sponge or cloth;
use a small amount of mild detergent when needed;
avoid abrasive pads and powders;
do not leave the piece soaking for long periods;
and let it dry gently away from strong heat.

The Aomori Lacquerware Federation warns that Tsugaru-nuri lacquer can be damaged by strong dryness, direct sunlight, friction and sudden temperature changes, and recommends gentle cleaning rather than machine drying.

Can lacquerware go in the dishwasher?

Traditional wood-based lacquerware: generally assume no.

High heat, detergent chemistry, long wet cycles and drying heat can stress both the wooden substrate and the lacquer surface.

But this is exactly where product-specific guidance matters. Japanese lacquerware makers now offer specially engineered products advertised as dishwasher-safe, including some natural-lacquer finishes.

So the correct rule is:

Traditional lacquerware: hand wash by default. Dishwasher-safe lacquerware: use the dishwasher only when the maker explicitly says so.

Can lacquerware go in the microwave?

Traditional wooden lacquerware should not be treated as microwave-safe.

Some resin-based lacquer-style bowls are specifically sold as microwave-compatible, but those are different constructions.

Never infer microwave safety from the fact that the surface looks like lacquer.

How should lacquerware be stored?

Avoid strong sunlight and extremely dry conditions.

Traditional lacquer benefits from being used rather than being forgotten for years in a hot, dry cupboard. For occasional-use pieces, protect decorated surfaces from rubbing against one another.

Our Urushi Lacquer guide explains why cured lacquer behaves differently from paint or plastic coating.

How should natural wooden tableware be cared for?

Uncoated or conventionally finished wooden tableware is sensitive to long exposure to water and heat.

A practical routine is:

wash soon after use;
use a soft sponge and mild detergent;
do not leave it soaking;
rinse promptly;
wipe off excess water;
air-dry in a ventilated place away from direct sun or strong heat.

Long soaking, aggressive dishwasher cycles and forced drying can contribute to warping, cracking or finish damage.

Does wooden tableware need oil?

Some unfinished or oil-finished wooden objects benefit from periodic food-safe oil maintenance. Others have lacquer, urethane or another sealed finish and should not be oiled.

Do not apply oil automatically to every wooden bowl. Determine the finish first.

If the maker recommends oiling, use a food-safe product and follow its frequency guidance.

Can wooden tableware go in the dishwasher?

The traditional default is no.

However, Japanese manufacturers now produce wooden tableware with durable finishes specifically advertised for dishwasher use.

This is another reason the product label outranks general internet rules.

How should glass tableware be cared for?

For ordinary glassware:

use a soft sponge and mild detergent;
avoid abrasive scrubbers;
avoid knocking glass against metal or ceramics;
do not stack glasses tightly inside one another;
and avoid sudden temperature changes.

ADERIA warns that ordinary soda-lime glass is vulnerable to rapid temperature change. Pouring boiling liquid into an ordinary room-temperature glass—or rapidly cooling a hot glass—can cause breakage.

Heat-resistant glass is a separate category

Ordinary glass, strengthened glass and heat-resistant glass are not interchangeable.

Strengthened glass is designed primarily for mechanical strength, not necessarily thermal shock. Heat-resistant glass is formulated and tested differently.

Only use glass in a microwave or oven when the product is specifically labelled for that application.

Can glass go in a dishwasher?

Some glassware can; some should not.

ADERIA notes that crystal glass, glass with certain special decorations, and damaged glass may be unsuitable for dishwasher use. Other reinforced glass series are explicitly marketed as dishwasher-safe.

In a dishwasher, prevent glass from contacting other hard objects where vibration could cause scratching or chipping.

How should stainless-steel tableware be cared for?

Stainless steel is durable, but it is not maintenance-free.

After use:

remove food residue promptly;
wash with mild detergent and a soft sponge;
rinse well;
dry rather than leaving water marks indefinitely;
avoid harsh abrasive pads;
and avoid storing wet stainless steel in prolonged contact with rusting carbon steel.

Noritake’s care guidance notes that unplated stainless products may be dishwasher-compatible, while plated items require more caution and may be hand-wash only.

Can metal tableware go in the microwave?

No ordinary metal tableware should be placed in a microwave unless the appliance and product manufacturer explicitly provide a very specific compatible use case.

For normal household practice, keep stainless steel, silver-plated ware and metal-decorated ceramics out of the microwave.

What causes grey marks on ceramic plates?

Grey lines on pale ceramic surfaces are often metal marks left by cutlery rather than cracks in the glaze.

They can sometimes be removed using the cleaning method recommended by the manufacturer for that ceramic surface.

Do not immediately attack them with harsh abrasive powder; abrasives can permanently change a matte or glossy glaze.

How should tea and coffee stains be treated?

Start gently.

Wash normally first. If staining remains, follow the maker’s instructions for stain removal. Some porcelain manufacturers allow oxygen-based kitchen bleach for stubborn tea staining, but that advice does not automatically apply to lacquer, wood, decorated ceramics or metal.

Never generalize one material’s stain treatment to another.

Should tableware be soaked overnight?

As a general cross-material habit, no.

Long soaking is unnecessary for most tableware and can be actively harmful to wood, lacquer, porous ceramics, glued components and some decorated pieces.

For stubborn residue, use the shortest treatment appropriate to that specific material.

How should Japanese tableware be stacked?

Stacking saves space, but contact points can scratch glazes, lacquer and metal finishes.

For valuable, handmade or easily marked pieces:

avoid very tall unstable stacks;
place heavier pieces underneath;
do not force slightly irregular handmade vessels into tight stacks;
use soft paper, cloth or thin separators between sensitive surfaces;
and keep decorated lacquer from rubbing against other pieces.

Noritake explicitly warns that direct stacking can cause tableware to scratch against itself.

What about the unglazed foot ring?

Many Japanese ceramic bowls and plates have an exposed unglazed foot.

That surface can be rougher than the glazed body and may scratch delicate tabletops or the glazed face of another plate.

Check the foot before stacking or sliding a piece across a polished surface.

What should you do with a chipped bowl or plate?

A small chip may look cosmetic, but food-contact safety depends on where it is and whether the body is structurally compromised.

Sharp rim chips can cut the mouth or fingers. Cracks can retain moisture and may worsen with heat.

Stop normal food use if a piece has a dangerous rim chip, a through-crack, leakage or structural instability.

Can kintsugi make a broken piece usable again?

Traditional kintsugi uses urushi lacquer and suitable powders to join and finish broken ceramics. Properly executed traditional repairs can restore objects to use, but not every decorative “kintsugi-style” repair kit is food-safe or heat-safe.

Our guide What Is Kintsugi? explains the difference between traditional lacquer repair and modern decorative imitations.

Do handmade variations need fixing?

No.

Pinholes, glaze variation, kiln colour changes, iron spots, slight asymmetry and other firing characteristics can be normal features of Japanese ceramics.

Do not confuse normal craft variation with damage.

The useful question is whether the feature affects structural integrity or safe use.

A simple daily care routine

For most mixed Japanese tableware collections, the following routine works well:

Separate special pieces before washing. Pull out lacquer, wood, decorated ceramics and delicate glass.
Wash soon after eating. Do not allow sauces and oils to sit unnecessarily.
Use soft tools. Mild detergent and a non-abrasive sponge cover most everyday cleaning.
Avoid collisions. Chips often come from sinks and dishwashers, not from eating.
Dry according to material. Porous pottery needs full drying; metal benefits from avoiding persistent water spots; wood needs ventilation.
Store without abrasive contact. Use separators for delicate surfaces.
Recheck the maker’s instructions before using heat.

The five questions to ask before using any Japanese tableware

What is the material?
What is the surface finish or decoration?
Does the maker explicitly allow dishwasher, microwave, oven or direct heat?
Is the piece damaged?
Does it need a specialist routine such as medome, donabe seasoning or lacquer care?

Those five questions are more reliable than memorizing a single rule for “Japanese ceramics.”

Care is part of choosing tableware

There is no virtue in buying tableware whose maintenance does not fit your life.

If you use a dishwasher every day, choose pieces that are genuinely rated for it. If you enjoy hand-washing lacquer and absorbent pottery, those materials can offer qualities that machine-friendly tableware cannot. Neither approach is more authentically Japanese.

Our guides to utsuwa and Japanese tableware materials explain how function, form and material fit into the larger table.

The most important rule

Japanese tableware is too varied for one universal maintenance chart.

A porcelain plate, Hagi-style bowl, lacquer soup bowl, modern resin-lacquer bowl, blown glass cup and stainless serving tool may all sit on the same table while requiring completely different care.

Read the product. Respect the material. Use the gentlest effective cleaning method. And do not assume that “traditional” means fragile—or that “modern” means dishwasher-safe.

Related Japanese Table guides

Japanese Tableware Materials Explained — pottery, porcelain, lacquer, wood, glass and metal.
What Is Utsuwa? — how Japanese vessels are chosen and used.
Japanese Pottery & Ceramics — materials, regions and production.
Urushi Lacquer — lacquer as a material and craft.
What Is Kintsugi? — traditional ceramic repair explained.
Japanese Donabe — specialist care for clay cooking pots.
The Japanese Table — the main dining corpus.

Explore this subject in Japan in Detail

The Japanese Table & Dining

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