News On Japan

Eight Tamba Matsutake Mushrooms Sell for 850,000 Yen at First Auction

HYOGO, Oct 09 (News On Japan) - At the season’s first auction held in Sasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture, locally grown Tamba Matsutake mushrooms fetched a total of 850,000 yen. Freshly harvested mushrooms lined the market floor, drawing excitement among buyers.

This year’s favorable growing conditions, with steady summer rainfall and ample forest moisture, have led to a particularly abundant harvest, bringing the season’s start six days earlier than last year. Since the opening of the Sasayama market in 2018, the volume of Matsutake mushrooms brought in by each farmer has reached its highest level on record.

Eight premium Tamba Matsutake were put up for the first auction and, amid the festive atmosphere of the opening sale, fetched a celebratory price of 850,000 yen.

Chef Noritsugu Yoshimura of the long-established ryokan restaurant Chikamoto, who won the bid, said, "I came with the goal of definitely winning. The texture is firm, the moisture is just right, and the aroma is wonderful—this year’s mushrooms are truly exceptional."

The ryokan plans to immediately serve the prized Matsutake to its regular guests in dishes such as grilled Matsutake and Dobin-mushi (steamed soup in a teapot).

Source: KTV NEWS

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Japan already classifies days with highs of 30C or above as manatsubi (midsummer days) and those reaching 35C or above as moshobi (extremely hot days). It has now introduced a new term for days when temperatures climb to 40C or higher.

Police investigating the death of an 11-year-old boy whose body was found in a forest in Kyoto Prefecture believe his father moved the remains between several locations over a number of days in an apparent attempt to conceal the crime.

A large and powerful Typhoon No. 4, internationally named Sinlaku, was located near the Mariana Islands and moving north-northeast as of the latest update. The storm is expected to gradually shift its course eastward and pass southeast of the Ogasawara Islands around April 18, before making its closest approach around April 19.

Japan will release around 50 million stockpiled medical gloves from next month as concerns grow over shortages of medical supplies linked to tensions in the Middle East, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said.

The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route connecting Toyama and Nagano fully reopened on April 15th, marking the start of the spring tourism season along one of Japan’s most celebrated mountain routes.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Food NEWS

As temperatures rise and early signs of summer begin to appear, chilled tofu is once again gaining attention, with silken varieties offering a lighter, vitamin-rich option while firm tofu provides higher protein and calcium for building strength.

A dense maze of narrow alleys packed with small eateries continues to define the area known as Ura-Tenma, located just north of JR Tenma Station, preserving the postwar legacy of a black market that once stood on the site.

Japan byFood was challenging Shizuka to ask taxi drivers in Tokyo for food recommendations! The result? SO many hidden food spots in Shibuya and Shinjuku beyond the tourist trap and definitely affordable – we even found a legendary ramen spot for only $7. (Japan by Food)

Japan tightened its "Business Manager" visa requirements in October 2025, prompting growing concern among foreign restaurant owners who fear the changes could force them out of business.

Japan by Food featuring Shizuka takes you deep into the heart of Kabukicho to witness the rebirth of an icon. (Japan by Food)

Tokyo has no shortage of great restaurants… but this one really surprised us. Tucked away in Akasaka, Keica is a modern fine dining restaurant where the chef blends Japanese techniques like fermentation, aging, and charcoal grilling with subtle Italian influences. (TabiEats)

Natto, a traditional Japanese staple often eaten with rice, is gaining popularity not only in Japan but increasingly overseas, with exports rising sharply as global consumers embrace its health benefits.

From April 1, broccoli has been newly designated as a “specified vegetable” by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, marking the first addition to the category in years as authorities move to stabilize supply and prices of a staple increasingly central to Japanese diets.