Japanese Pottery vs. Porcelain Guide: Differences, How to Spot Them, and Crafting Tips

Hello, this is Yassy from Crafters! (・∀・)

Making your own tableware or accessories by hand, or hunting for your favorite dishes at craft markets and shops, is so much fun, isn't it? I love making, admiring, and buying ceramics, and my home is filled with many beloved pieces.

However, when starting ceramics or handmade crafts, everyone inevitably hits one big question: "What is the actual difference between pottery and porcelain?"

While many people notice they look a little different, not many accurately understand how they differ in detail, or how those differences affect crafting and selecting tableware.

Pottery and porcelain aren't just stylish in appearance—their properties, raw materials, and ease of crafting are completely distinct. Understanding these differences prevents mistakes when selecting materials for your handmade projects. Plus, you will master the proper care needed to keep your purchased tableware from breaking or wearing out prematurely.

In this guide for handmade craft beginners, I will break down the differences between pottery and porcelain in the most clear and thorough way possible! Drawing on my experience and knowledge, I will share everything from basic concepts and identification tips to choosing the right material for your own creations.

Pottery and Porcelain Are Completely Different! Basic Knowledge and Fundamental Differences

To put it simply right from the start: while both fall under the broad category of ceramics, their material origins are fundamentally different.

In traditional Japanese classification, pottery is called tsuchimono (earth things), while porcelain is called ishimono (stone things). These Japanese names describe the core difference best.

Pottery is made primarily from clay (earth). Because clay dug from the earth is shaped and fired as it is, its defining feature is the natural warmth and earthy texture retained in the finished piece.

On the other hand, porcelain is made mainly from powdered stone obtained by finely crushing a rock known as pottery stone (tsuseki). A small amount of clay is mixed into this stone powder, shaped, and fired at extremely high temperatures, yielding a hard, smooth, glass-like texture.

In short, is the main raw material "earth" or "stone"? That is the single biggest dividing line between pottery and porcelain.

This difference in raw materials completely flips properties such as hardness, weight, and water permeability by 180 degrees.

It is not a matter of one being better or worse. Both have wonderful charm and unique characteristics, making it essential to have the knowledge to select the right one based on your intended use, whether you are crafting or buying.

Deep Comparison: Materials, Firing Temperatures, and Characteristics

To clarify the core differences between pottery and porcelain, let's look closer at each key element step by step.

1. Raw Materials

The main raw material for pottery is clay. Clay is rich in iron and organic matter, and its particle sizes are uneven. As a result, minute air bubbles and gaps remain inside the ceramic body after firing.

The main raw material for porcelain is pottery stone powder (quartz and feldspar). It contains very few impurities and consists of fine, white particles. This powder melts during firing and turns into a glassy substance.

2. Firing Temperatures

Pottery is fired at relatively lower temperatures, around 800°C to 1,200°C (1,472°F to 2,192°F). Because it is fired at a lower temperature, the clay particles do not completely melt, leaving a rustic texture.

Porcelain is fired at very high temperatures, around 1,200°C to 1,400°C (2,192°F to 2,552°F). High heat completely melts the feldspar components of the stone, fusing it solid like glass.

3. Translucency (Light Permeability)

Pottery lets zero light pass through. The body is thick and opaque, casting only a shadow even when held up to a strong light.

Porcelain allows light to pass through if the piece is thin. Holding it up to a light bulb or sunlight reveals a soft glow shining through—a unique attraction of porcelain symbolizing its delicate beauty.

4. Water Absorption

Pottery has a very important characteristic: it absorbs water. Because there are microscopic, invisible pores throughout the body, it absorbs water and oils.

Porcelain has zero water absorption. Dense firing at high heat creates a completely vitrified surface through which neither water nor oil can penetrate.

5. Sound When Tapped

When you gently tap pottery with your fingertip or fingernail, it emits a low, soft, dull sound like "ton-ton" or "poko-poko."

Tapping porcelain in the same way produces a high-pitched, metallic ringing sound like "kin-kin" or "chin-chin." The high density and hardness of its glass-like composition create this clear, high note.

5 Quick Checkpoints for Beginners to Spot the Difference Instantly

When looking at dishes in a shop or organizing tableware at home, here is a reliable method to instantly tell whether something is pottery or porcelain.

Professionals and ceramic artists check five key points the moment they look at a piece. By remembering these steps, you will be able to distinguish them immediately.

Check 1: Examine the Raw Base at the Bottom (Kodai / Foot Ring)

The most reliable and easiest check is to look at the unglazed foot ring at the bottom of the dish, known in Japanese as the kodai.

• If the foot ring is brownish with a slightly rough, earthy clay texture, it is pottery.
• If the foot ring is pure white with a smooth, sleek stone texture, it is porcelain.

Checking color and feel alone helps you identify the material correctly more than 80% of the time.

Check 2: Check Rim Thickness and Weight

Pay attention to the rim of the dish. Pottery is generally made thicker to maintain structural strength, giving it a cozy, substantial feel when held.

Porcelain is extremely hard, allowing it to be crafted very thin. Its edges are sharp and thin, giving it a dense, heavy feel relative to its visual delicacy.

Check 3: Hold It Up to Light

Hold the dish up to a bright light or near a window. If light faintly shines through near the edges, it is definitely porcelain. If it creates only a dark shadow regardless of light intensity, it is pottery.

Check 4: Tap Lightly with Your Finger

Flick the rim lightly with your fingernail. A clear, high-pitched "kin!" sound indicates porcelain, while a dull, low "kon…" sound indicates pottery. (Note: Cracked porcelain can also produce a dull sound, so tap gently!)

Check 5: Drop Water to Test Absorption

Place a single drop of water on the unglazed foot ring. If the drop slowly soaks in and darkens the color, it is pottery. If the water beads up and refuses to absorb, it is porcelain.

Choosing Between Pottery and Porcelain for Handmade Crafts & Difficulty Levels

Next, let's talk about choices specifically for handmade crafters looking to create their own pieces!

Whether attending a ceramics class or enjoying clay crafts at home, the difficulty level and required tools change dramatically depending on whether you choose pottery or porcelain.

Based on my own crafting experience, here is a realistic guide to choosing your material and understanding difficulty.

Pottery is Overwhelmingly Beginner-Friendly!

If you are just starting ceramics or clay crafting, I strongly recommend starting with pottery. There is no need to hesitate—pottery is the way to go.

Pottery clay (to-do) offers high plasticity (the ability to hold its shape), making it easy to form whatever shape you envision. Whether using hand-building techniques (tebizune) or rolling out slabs to press into molds (tatara), the clay is manageable and forgiving. Even if the thickness is slightly uneven, there is a low risk of warping or cracking during firing.

Additionally, popular home-oven clays have a texture and ease of handling very close to traditional pottery clay. If you want to craft pottery-style accessories or small decor items easily at home, oven clay is the shortest path to success.

Porcelain Crafting is Advanced! Why the Difficulty Jumps

On the other hand, making porcelain is quite difficult and not recommended for craft beginners.

Porcelain clay (jido) contains little clay content, giving it almost no stickiness or elasticity. It feels similar to touching damp cornstarch, and attempts to shape it can cause it to collapse easily.

When throwing on a potter's wheel in particular, porcelain clay sags quickly under the influence of water with even slight pressure. Without master-level technique, it is extremely difficult to pull up thin, uniform walls.

Furthermore, porcelain shrinks significantly during drying and firing. Any slight variance in thickness leads directly to cracks or distortion in the kiln.

While wanting to craft pure white accessory parts or delicate, translucent small dishes is understandable, mastering clay handling through pottery first before tackling porcelain is the absolute rule to avoid failure.

Selecting Based on Desired Work

• Rustic, warm mugs or cafe-style plates: Pottery
• Handcrafted brooches or interior decor: Pottery
• Casual home crafts using a kitchen oven: Pottery (or pottery-style oven clay)
• Sleek, bright white accessory parts: Porcelain
• Delicate, detailed hand-painting: Porcelain
• Sharp, thin, modern high-end tableware: Porcelain

Daily Care and Handling: Golden Rules for Longevity

When using your handmade creations or enjoying purchased tableware, maintenance differs completely between pottery and porcelain. Improper care can cause mold, stains, or cracking. Here are the crucial rules for keeping your pieces in great condition.

Correct Care for Pottery: Sealing (Medome) and Thorough Drying Are Essential!

When you buy or craft new pottery, there is a traditional Japanese preparation process you should always perform before first use called medome (rice-water sealing).

Because pottery contains countless microscopic pores, placing food directly on fresh pottery allows oils, soy sauce colors, or soup aromas to seep into the pores, causing permanent stains and odors.

Medome is performed using the starch-rich water left over from rinsing white rice (kome no togijiru).

[Steps for Medome / Rice Water Sealing]

1. Place the pottery piece in a pot and cover it with rice-rinsing water.
2. Simmer on low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and let it cool completely in the pot.
4. Wash gently with lukewarm water and allow to air-dry thoroughly.

The rice starch fills the microscopic pores in the pottery, dramatically preventing stains and smells from absorbing. This simple step extends the life of your pottery remarkably.

After daily use, wash pottery promptly and let it dry completely before storing it in a cupboard. Storing pottery while moisture remains inside causes dark mold to grow internally.

Avoid microwaves and dishwashers for pottery as well. Absorbed water inside the clay can heat rapidly in a microwave, causing the piece to crack or shatter.

Correct Care for Porcelain: Easy Maintenance and Great Durability!

Caring for porcelain is amazingly simple!

Because it has zero water absorption, performing medome before use is completely unnecessary. You can wash and use it the day you bring it home.

Even when serving oily foods or heavily pigmented sauces, there is no worry about staining. It boasts perfect functionality for daily dishes serving curry or pasta.

Dishwashers and microwave reheating are generally fine as well. If convenience and easy handling are your top priorities, porcelain is undeniably excellent.

However, there is one critical caution: porcelain decorated with gold or silver luster (kinsai/ginsai). Placing gold- or silver-accented porcelain in a microwave causes sparks, burning, and peeling of the metallic design. Hand-washing and avoiding the microwave are strict rules for metallic-decorated porcelain.

Also keep in mind that while porcelain is very hard, strong impacts can cause it to snap cleanly. Broken edges become glass-sharp, so handle broken pieces carefully.

How to Select and Buy Handmade Ceramics: A Writer's Perspective

Buying ceramic works from artists at handmade events, craft markets, or online handmade marketplaces like minne or Creema is one of the great joys of craft culture. I often buy lovely dishes whenever I attend craft fairs!

Developing an eye as a buyer enriches your handmade lifestyle even further. Here are my personal tips for choosing pieces without regret.

Choose According to Your Lifestyle

When buying dishes, try not to buy based solely on impulse or visual design. The secret is calmly considering whether the piece fits your daily routine.

If you are busy every morning and prefer washing everything together in a dishwasher or quickly reheating meals in a microwave, porcelain is the right choice. If you buy pottery without considering your routine, the effort of hand-washing and initial sealing might become a burden, leaving the dish unused.

Conversely, if you enjoy brewing coffee slowly on weekends or want the comforting warmth of handcrafted items, pottery is highly recommended. The tactile warmth of pottery when held in your hands is a special experience unique to clay.

Mix Pottery and Porcelain in Table Settings

Some people believe that tableware on a dining table must be unified as all pottery or all porcelain, but that is a misconception!

Mixing pottery and porcelain thoughtfully is actually the secret to creating a stylish table setting.

For instance, use a sleek, smooth porcelain plate for main pasta or meat dishes, and pair it with a rustic, thick-walled pottery soup cup. The cool, sharp feel of porcelain combined with the soft, warm impression of pottery creates a delightful contrast, adding depth and a professional touch to your table.

When shopping at craft markets or online platforms, try searching with the mindset of: "This pottery cup would look charming next to the porcelain plates I already own!" It makes shopping so much more enjoyable.

Expand Your Craft Horizons by Knowing the Difference!

We have explored the differences between pottery and porcelain in detail, covering raw materials, identification tricks, crafting difficulty, and everyday maintenance.

Let's review the main takeaways:

• Pottery is "earth stuff" (tsuchimono): Made from clay, warm in feel, water-absorbent, and sounds dull when tapped.
• Porcelain is "stone stuff" (ishimono): Made from pottery stone powder, hard and smooth, non-absorbent, and rings high when tapped.
• Quick identification: Check the color and texture of the unglazed foot ring (kodai), rim thickness, and light transparency.
• For craft beginners: Pottery is overwhelmingly recommended because clay is easy to shape and less prone to firing mistakes.
• Pottery rule: Perform rice-water sealing (medome) before first use and dry thoroughly after washing.
• Porcelain rule: No sealing needed; dishwasher and microwave friendly for easy everyday use.

Understanding these differences clarifies material selection for your own handmade projects. Furthermore, when browsing works by ceramic artists, you will appreciate their techniques and dedication on a much deeper level than before.

Knowing your materials is the fastest route to elevating the quality of your handmade crafts.

Both the warm, cozy feel of earthy pottery and the sharp, refined brilliance of white porcelain are full of wonderful charm.

I hope you use this knowledge to enjoy your craft projects and tableware selection to the absolute fullest! I am cheering for your handmade journey to become even more wonderful and rich.

If you enjoyed this guide, sharing it with friends on social media would mean the world to me! See you in the next article! This was Yassy from Crafters!

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