The Suribachi is a bowl with a serrated interior, making it suitable for grinding soft materials. The Surikogi (also called "Bo") is a wooden pestle. The most important use of the Suribachi is to grind Miso for adding to Miso Soup. The miso is placed in the Suribachi and some of the hot soup is ladled in. The miso is then ground smooth with the Surikogi. The Miso is then ready to add to the soup. They are also used for grinding sesame seeds and other relatively soft items.
The Suribachi came from China around CE 1000, but was used for preparing medicine. Some time later it became a culinary device. They are available in 4 inch to 12 inch (10 to 30 cm) sizes. The photo specimen is 6 inches diameter (15 cm).
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