[Shizuoka/Izu] "Izu Tabi PickUp! Report" ~Green Hill Toi Shiitake Mushroom Picking Experience~

"Izu Tabi PickUp!" is a website where you can book experiences and purchase local products in Izu City, Shizuoka Prefecture.

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In the "Izu Tabi Pick Up! Report" we visit the places featured in "Izu Tabi Pick Up!" and write about what we feel and experience.

• Table of Contents
• Picking shiitake mushrooms on the way to Nishiizu?!
• Kids are exciting!
• It is different from the shiitake mushrooms sold in supermarkets.
• Freshly picked shiitake mushrooms grilled over charcoal!
• Bonus. A new attempt by Oki Dairy.

Picking shiitake mushrooms on the way to Nishiizu?!

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"Green Hill Toi" where you can experience picking shiitake mushrooms

If you are heading along the Izu Longitudinal Highway and want to see the ocean to the west, most people will head towards Funabara Pass along National Route 136. When you pass through the trees and tunnels and see the ocean in the distance, on the other side you will see cute words such as "Ooki Milk," "Soft Serve Ice Cream," and "Just for You Pudding"! This shop with the best view is a place where you can enjoy Moo Moo Milk, produced by Ooki Dairy. Its name is Green Hill Toi. In the summer, their soft serve ice cream is very popular, and in the winter they also serve hot milk. My recommendation is the bun topped with Moo Moo Milk cream and homemade fruit jam. Many people will recognize Green Hill Toi as a place where you can buy sweets and souvenirs.

Kawasaki Family's children experiencing the activity

However, it turns out that you can actually pick shiitake mushrooms here, so I went with the Kawasaki family to try it out.

Kids are exciting!

Once we had finished the check-in process, we grabbed our harvest baskets and headed off to where the shiitake mushroom logs were! The children were having so much fun that they made their way through the forest. The power of youth is truly impressive!

After a short walk, we arrived at the "Hodaba" where rows of log-grown shiitake mushrooms were lined up. The leaves were fluffy, the logs were lined up, the sunlight occasionally shining through was beautiful, and the air was obviously fresh. Now it was time to harvest the shiitake mushrooms that had grown with this sunlight, air, and rainwater.

"I got it!!! (loud voice)"

The older brother who just started elementary school, took off shiitake mushrooms in a flash! The speed made it clear that this is a fascinating space for children too. Such kids' power... adults also can't help but be impressed!

It is different from the shiitake mushrooms sold in supermarkets.

Shiitake mushrooms grown on logs have strong roots

Let's take a moment to explain what log-grown shiitake are. Most of the shiitake mushrooms that you can buy in town are called "bed shiitake" and are distinguished from log-grown shiitake. Bed shiitake mushrooms are grown in blocks of hardened sawdust (beds). They are artificially fed with nutrients and temperature and humidity are controlled, so they are harvested steadily and can of course be shipped all year round. In contrast, log-grown shiitake mushrooms are cultivated in this natural environment and are characterized by individual differences in size, thickness, taste and aroma. They truly are "mushrooms" of the forest!

Therefore, this mushroom picking experience can be enjoyed from mid-October to the end of March. When it rains, the mushrooms suddenly appear and grow rapidly, which is quite a surprise.

When harvesting, you use your fingers to do the work, but it takes a bit more strength than you'd think. There's no need to worry, as even children can pick them, but you can feel the strength of the forest mushrooms from their bases. The older brother, who has just started elementary school, puts them in the basket, shouting, "Got it!", while the younger brother helps his mother with some of the mushrooms he harvests together with them. They are thicker and stronger than you'd think. These are log-grown shiitake mushrooms, full of the blessings of nature.

Giant shiitake mushroom calls as `OBAKE(ghost) shiitake'

By the way, shiitake mushrooms come in a wide variety, from small ones to ones so large that they are called 'OBAKE(ghost) shiitake' mushrooms. They all taste delicious, so it might be a good idea to choose one depending on the purpose. For example, if you are going to put them in a stew or hot pot, choose a round one, but if you are going to grill them, a flat one will cook better. I wanted to eat shiitake steak, so I chose some flat ones. My personal recommendation is shiitake ajillo. (A simple dish of olive oil with salt, garlic, and chili pepper, then shiitake mushrooms in it.) I think I'll make this again, with some white wine to go with it.

Freshly picked shiitake mushrooms grilled over charcoal!

The basket is full of shiitake mushrooms and it's heavy!

Shiitake mushrooms can be taken home for 300 yen per 100 grams.

Well, Kawasaki family (3 family members at the time) harvested a total of over 2 kilograms of shiitake mushrooms in just under an hour! We returned to the starting point, calculated the grams, and then it was time to pay the bill. (If you get too absorbed, your wallet might be shocked, but that's part of the fun.)

The aroma of shiitake mushrooms and soy sauce is irresistible.

Here, you can grill freshly picked shiitake mushrooms on a charcoal grill. Cut off the stems and place the fresh shiitake mushrooms on the charcoal grill! Within a few minutes, the aroma and steam will rise, and you can add soy sauce while keeping an eye on them, wondering if they're ready.

Big brother takes a big bite!

Now it's time to try them. The moment you bite into them, you're hit with the rich aroma, the thickness, the elasticity, and the combination of the broth and soy sauce that oozes out. The mother, older brother, and younger brother were all huffing and puffing with big smiles on their faces, expressing more than words how delicious the shiitake mushrooms they had harvested themselves were.

Hot Moo Moo Milk warms the body

When I asked what kind of people come to pick shiitake mushrooms, I was told, "There are quite a few people who come here to pick shiitake mushrooms and grill on a charcoal grill before doing marine sports in Nishiizu, how nice!" What a luxury! Of course there is charcoal grilling, but as I wrote at the beginning, there is also bread here, so I think it would be nice to have a shiitake-filled lunch with shiitake bread (which actually contains a whole mushroom) and shiitake bun dogs! Enjoy the full shiitake course as a memory of your trip!

Bonus. A new attempt by Oki Dairy.

Terrasse Orange Toi, the first tsunami evacuation complex in Japan, opened along the coast of Toi in July 2024. On the first floor is Magic Hour Cafe Porto101, run by Oki Dairy. The concept is completely different from Green Hill Toi, and you can enjoy cafe time up close with the sea and sky while enjoying the fun of choosing a photogenic menu. The recommended time to visit is dusk, known as the magic hour. Be sure to stop by and plan your best Izu Travel trip!

Terrasse Orange toi

410-3302 2657-6 Toi, Izu City, Shizuoka Prefecture Terrasse Orange toi

"Terrasse Orange toi" is the first complex in Japan to combine a tsunami evacuation facility and a tourist facility, and opened on July 12, 2024. ◇Meaning of the facility name Terrasse: A terrace with a spectacular view, protecting lives like a lighthouse in the event of a disaster, illuminating tourism and the future of Izu City. Orange: Toi's beautiful sunsets, the first orange zone in the country, and the warm image of the local specialty mandarin oranges. toi: The European spell "toi toi toi" means to pray for good luck. In addition, it is similar to the Toi dialect "korasshaa" (come) and "oracchi" (my house), and is meant to be familiar to locals.

📷Photo taken on December 27, 2024

Book your Izu specialty shiitake mushroom picking experience now with "Izu Tabi PickUp!"

Author of this article

📝： Aya Sato

📷: Yohei Saito│Tourist photographer