【Reading】こばち

【English Name】Small Bowl

A kobachi is a type of Japanese tableware—a small bowl that is deeper than a plate but has a wider mouth than a wan (covered bowl). Bowls are classified by size into large ( obachi), medium (chubachi), and small (kobachi), and are further distinguished by shape, such as deep bowls (fukabachi) and shallow bowls (hirabachi). Depending on their use, they may also be called serving bowls (moribachi) or mukozuke. At sushi restaurants, kobachi are frequently used to serve gari (pickled ginger), kozuke (small appetizers), sunomono (vinegared dishes), and ohitashi (boiled greens). At sushi establishments that draw on the traditions of counter kappo or kaiseki dining, serving a seasonal dish in a kobachi between pieces of nigiri helps create rhythm in the meal. In hot-pot cuisine, the style of dipping ingredients into a kobachi filled with ponzu or sesame sauce is widely established. While ceramic and porcelain are the most common materials, lacquerware and glass versions also exist; at sushi restaurants, white porcelain as well as Oribe and Shino ware tend to be favored.