Learn about exotic mushrooms in Japanese cuisine (2)

Continuing the article in the previous section, today we will learn about strange mushrooms in Japanese cuisine.

>>>Learn about exotic mushrooms in Japanese cuisine (1)

Historically, Japanese people know how to use mushrooms to make food from prehistoric Jomon. Scientists have confirmed that through the archaeological site of Jomon era discovered in the city of Kita-akita in Akita province. 18 years ago, archaeologists found some fossil mushroom ears. They believed that the ancients used them to make offerings to the gods to pray for peace.

By the Nara period, in the 8th century, mushrooms were considered the quintessence of autumn, a precious and nutritious food.

In the Kamakura period, the 12th century, along with the strong development of Zen Buddhism in Japan, vegetarian dishes became popular. According to the precepts, clergy should not eat animal meat, so their meals are made entirely from vegetables. Mushrooms are considered an important source of nutrients in vegetarian dishes. The shiitake mushroom is most used, because it is rich in nutrients but very popular.

By the Edo period, in the 17th century, mushrooms were widely used by the public and became a daily staple. This period, Japan is peaceful after a long period of civil war, people start thinking about eating well and wearing nice clothes. This is also the heyday of Japanese cuisine. New dishes along with cookbooks turn out, including numerous dishes made from matsutake mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms and hiratake oyster mushrooms. It is estimated that about 9 types of mushrooms are used as food at this time. In order to supply the growing demand of the market, farmers start growing shiitake mushrooms when the amount of mushrooms in the wild is limited.

Mushrooms are considered the quintessential foods of autumn.

Iwaizumi Town in Iwate Prefecture is surrounded by mountains. The famous product of this land is matsutake mushroom. Iwaizumi has 20,000 hectares of red pine forest, which is the ideal environment for matsutake mushrooms to grow. However, compared to half a century ago, the amount of matsutake mushrooms harvested in this small town has decreased very strongly. Not only Iwaizumi but all over Japan, if 50 years ago, people harvested 5,000 tons of matsutake mushrooms every year, now this figure is only 100 tons.

In 2003, Iwaizumi town government determined to restore the amount of matsutake mushrooms in the wild through a detailed plan involving the scientific world. Head of the project is Professor Yoshimura Fumihiko. Mr. Yoshimura used to study many years of matsutake mushrooms at Kyoto University. The first job that Mr. Yoshimura and his team members had to do was to practice to find out why the local pine forests did not produce as many mushrooms as before.

In the past, Iwaizumi people lived mainly by making charcoal from pine trees in the forest. Livelihoods are associated with pine forests so they try to take care of them. However, when Japan entered a period of rapid economic development in the 1970s, the young labor force in Iwaizumi flocked to the city to earn a living. The coal making industry is gradually abandoned and pine forests are also abandoned. Mr. Yoshimura said that this is the reason why matsutake mushrooms gradually disappear in nature in Iwaizumi.

Mushroom soup

Through field trips, this mushroom researcher found in the forests, pine needles and thick branches covered on the ground. That has limited rainwater to penetrate deep into the soil, furthermore, the temperature below the leaf layer is very high, not favorable for fungal growth. Growth characteristics of matsutake are living on pine roots in conditions of sufficient water and temperature is not too high. Once the cause of fungal production was identified, Yoshimura held a number of discussions with forest owners in Iwaizumi. He explained to them the growth characteristics of matsutake and persuaded them to actively take care of pine forests. Forest owners agreed to cooperate, they pruned trees for open forests and cleared dry leaves under pine trees. In the mushroom season of 2003, Iwaizumi town harvested 6 tons of matsutake mushrooms.

Nearly 10 years later, at the present time, the yield of mushrooms picked up by the pine forest in Iwaizumi has tripled. Yoshimura's methods for improving matsutake production in nature are not only beneficial for Iwaizumi town but also for the Japanese mushroom industry. Many localities across the country have started applying them and achieved very positive results. Matsutake mushrooms are revitalizing vigorously in the vast pine forests of the country of cherry blossoms.

Hiratake mushrooms are grown from waste products in the production of bean sprouts.

From autumn to winter, on the table of Japanese people indispensable hiratake mushroom hotpot. Hiratake mushrooms are derived from prices. People have made use of waste products to make mushrooms. The price contains nutrients, rich in vitamins C and E, is cool, so it is popular with many people. The price of Fukushima Prefecture is made from selected green peas, so the quality is very high. Prices after industrial annealing, the machine will remove the green bean shell. This product still contains many nutrients, people continue to use them to make hiratake mushrooms.

Human effort and climate and soil advantages have helped Japan become one of the most diverse sources of mushroom in the world and the people of this country are said to be customers who enjoy many kinds of most mushrooms.