A Fragrant Gift from the Forest

Photos: Arai Akiko

Matsutake is a mushroom that grows at the base of pine trees. In Japan, it is found primarily in forests of Japanese Red Pine. Of the many mushrooms that grace the dining table here, there is none quite as special as the matsutake.

In Japanese cuisine, great importance is placed on the aroma of the food. Matsutake is singularly loved for its unique sweet fragrance, which comes from the octenol, or mushroom alcohol, that it contains. Matsutake is seen as the king of autumn delicacies, so people all over Japan hope to get a taste of it at least once before winter comes. Since matsutake quickly loses freshness and cannot be cultivated, it is a highly sought-after, relatively expensive treat.

This mushroom has been greatly prized since ancient times. Matsutake are listed among the gifts to the Emperor noted in an 8^th-century history book. During the Edo period (1603–1868), people could even pay their taxes in matsutake. Villages strictly controlled the harvesting of this mushroom. Permission was required to buy or sell it, even for the owners of the land where it grew.

Environmental changes in today’s forests have inevitably affected the matsutake harvest. Long ago, the mushroom’s host tree, the Japanese Red Pine, was used for firewood and charcoal in Japan, which meant these forests were cared for regularly by local communities who depended on them. This maintenance created a suitable environment for the matsutake, which prefers sunny, well-ventilated areas. Since the 1970s, however, when petroleum became the fuel of choice, mountain forests have not been maintained as carefully, which is one reason for the sad decline in matsutake yields.

In Japanese cuisine, matsutake is grilled simply or cooked with rice to highlight its wonderful fragrance and flavor. Miyanami Yuzuru, owner of a matsutake specialty restaurant in Tokyo’s Akasaka district, called Akasaka Matsubaya, insists that freshness is most important when it comes to matsutake. He declares, “The more time passes, the more fragrance and freshness the matsutake loses, but with today’s modern transportation, matsutake arrive fresh, which is a great help.”

Miyanami, who used to work as a matsutake wholesaler, chuckles as he reports, “When you work with matsutake all day, you smell like one from head to toe.” It is precisely this strong aroma that makes matsutake so very appealing.

Japan enjoys a great variety of blessings from the forest, which covers two-thirds of the country. The pinnacle of the forest bounty is, and has always been, the matsutake. Their rarity means the Japanese cherish them all the more.

Grilled Matsutake

The best way to enjoy the pure taste of the matsutake is to grill it whole. When fresh, these mushrooms contain plenty of moisture—each bite bursts with aromatic, juicy flavor.

Dobin Mushi

Matsutake, shrimp, and other ingredients steamed in broth in a small earthenware pot called dobin. Enjoy each morsel between sips of the broth infused with umami flavor and aroma. Add a squeeze of sudachi (Japanese green citrus fruit) to really bring out the umami.

Matsutake Gohan

Matsutake and rice simply cooked in broth and soy sauce. Slice the mushrooms into small pieces, but be sure to preserve a cross-section of the original mushroom shape. This special combination of shinmai (newly harvested rice) and matsutake is only available in the autumn.

Matsutake with caps completely unopened are thought to be more fragrant, and are therefore preferred.

Akasaka Matsubaya, a restaurant specializing in matsutake and Hida Wagyu beef, procures and serves the finest quality matsutake.