Perfect Every Time

Kamado story

The name Kamado is the Japanese word for “stove” or “cooking range”. It means a “place for the cauldron”. A movable kamado called “mushikamado” came to the attention of Americans after World War II. It is now found in the US & UK as a Kamado-style cooker or barbecue grill. The mushikamado is a round clay pot with a removable domed clay lid and is typically found in Southern Japan.

Since Japanese kamado were introduced from Korea, the word kamado itself is rooted in the Korean word gama (가마), which means a buttumak (hearth). Some kamados have dampers and draft doors for better heat control.

The kanji character for kamado is 竈. The kanji character may be the best name to use when searching for information about traditional unmovable kamados. Elsewhere, the word kamado has become a generic term for ceramic or unfired-clay cookstoves.