Producer Visit - Yamaya Shiitake

Located in Oita, Yamaya is log-cultivating the highest quality of Shiitake. We had an appointment at 10 O'clock in the morning, and as soon as I arrived, Shoji san of Yamaya took me to their Shiitake forest. He spent a whole morning to show me their Shiitake log-cultivation.

Fascinating view of Kunugi Woods on that Shiitake grows.

Because I visited them in May and Shiitake starts growing from Autumn, I couldn't see them on Kunugi woods, but I was very fulfilled to see this surrealistic view.

Shinobu san, his wife, told me, that sometime she walks alone in this Shiitake forest in her private time, when something irritates her in her life. Every time she comes in, she can get healed and regenerated. Indeed I felt also a good strong energy all the time in this forest this morning. 

Shoji san with Kunugi Wood, explaining that one Kunugi can cultivate Shiitake about for four years. By the time, the wood become very dry, soft, and easy to break. This means Shiitake's soaked all nutrition from the wood. Then Shoji san brings all used Kunugi woods down to his place to make compost them. Taking about 6 years, those woods return completely to the soil. Fascinating natural circulation. 

Shiitake likes to grow in a good windy, half shadow forest. So Shoji san maintains trees surrounding Kunugi woods too. They protect from the strong sunlight and make an ideal envelopment for Shiitake.   

Shiitake is sorted in three categories by form and size that are defined by the harvesting time. Donko is harvested in an early stage when the form of Shiitake is still round and well volumed. The longer it waits, the flatter and thinner Shiitake becomes. Donko is very meaty and filling and it can be used also as a steak. Otherwise Nimono (cooked in soy source, Mirin, and Sake) , Sushi or in noodle or Miso soup are common use of Shiitake in Japan. Dried Shiitake has much more nutrition than fresh Shiitake as it's concentrated. Also very flavory and aromatic.   

The soul of craftsmanship is active also in farming. Yamaya is one of those farmers who always seeks for a higher quality and doesn’t hesitate to make an effort for it.