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Asian mushrooms, clockwise from left, enokitake, buna-shimeji, bunapi-shimeji, king oyster mushroom and shiitake (front).

Shimeji (ja:シメジ, 占地) is a group of edible mushrooms native to East Asia. Hon-shimeji (Lyophyllum shimeji) is a mycorrhizal fungi (similar to matsutake, porcini and truffle) and difficult to cultivate, while others are saprotroph and buna-shimeji is now widely cultivated. Shimeji is rich in umami taste such as guanylic acid, glutamic acid, and aspartic acid.^[1]

There are several species sold as shimeji mushrooms. All are saprotroph except Lyophyllum shimeji.

Mycorrhiza

• Hon-shimeji (ja:ホンシメジ), Lyophyllum shimeji

The cultivation methods have been patented by several groups, such as Takara Bio^[2] and Yamasa,^[3] and the cultivated hon-shimeji is available from several manufacturers in Japan.^[4][5]

Saprotroph

• Buna-shimeji (ja:ブナシメジ lit. beech shimeji), Hypsizygus tessellatus, also known in English as the Brown Beech or Brown Clamshell Mushroom
• Bunapi-shimeji (ja:ブナピー), known in English as the White Beech or White Clamshell Mushroom; bunapi was selected from buna-shimeji and the breed was registered by Hokuto Corporation.^[6]

Hypsizygus marmoreus is a synonym of Hypsizigus tessellatus. Cultivation of Buna-shimeji was first patented by Takara Shuzo Co.,Ltd. in 1972 as hon-shimeji and the production started in 1973.^[7] Now, several breeds are widely cultivated and sold fresh in markets.

• Hatake-shimeji (ja:ハタケシメジ), Lyophyllum decastes
• Shirotamogidake (ja:シロタモギダケ), Hypsizigus ulmarius

These two species were also sold as hon-shimeji.

• Velvet Pioppino, Agrocybe aegerita

The Shimeji should always be cooked, it is not a good mushroom to serve raw. When raw this mushroom has a somewhat bitter taste; the bittereness disappears completely upon cooking. The cooked mushroom has a pleasant, firm, slightly crunchy texture and a delicious slightly nutty flavor. Cooking also makes this mushroom easier to digest. In stir-fried foods, as well as with wild game or seafood it is a good mushroom. Also it can be used in soups, stews and in sauces. When cooked alone, Shimeji mushrooms can be sautéed as a whole, including the stem or stalk (only the very end cut off), using a higher temperature or they can be slow roasted on a low temperature with a small amount of butter or cooking oil. Shimeji is used in soups, nabe and takikomi gohan.

List of Japanese ingredients

1. ^ (Japanese) Hyoeiオリジナルコラム（なでしこ通信） 日本人はキノコが大好き, Hyogo NCC College.
2. ^ METHOD FOR ARTIFICIALLY CULTURING LYOPHYLLUM SHIMEJI, TAKARA AGURI KK, JP2001120059. ARTIFICIAL CULTIVATION METHOD OF LYOPHYLLUM SHIMEJI, TAKARA BIO INC, JP2007143565.
3. ^ NEW STRAIN OF LYOPHYLLUM SHIMEJI AND USE OF THE SAME, YAMASA SHOYU KK, JP2006271234. METHOD FOR ARTIFICIALLY CULTURING LYOPHYLLUM SHIMEJI AND CULTURE MEDIUM, Yamasa Shoyu KK, JP2007054044.
4. ^ (Japanese) 雪国本しめじ, Yukiguni Maitake Co.,Ltd.
5. ^ (Japanese) ヤマサほんしめじ, Yamasa Coorporation.
6. ^ Bunashimeji and Bunapi, Hokuto Corporation.
7. ^ (Japanese) Hypsizigus marmoreus - 長期利用微生物参考データ（食品工業利用微生物）, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan.

• Honshimeji Mushroom, RecipeTips.com. Brown Beech (Buna shimeji), White Beech (Bunapi shimeji), and the Pioppino (Agrocybe aegerita) mushrooms.