Tianfo Zhi Matsutake
The Tianfozhishan Nature Reserve is China’s first nature reserve dedicated to protecting valuable
edible mushrooms, and it remains the country’s only national-level reserve established specifically for the conservation of matsutake mushrooms and their ecosystem.
Blessed with abundant natural resources, the reserve’s low mountain areas below 500 meters in
elevation are covered with red pine forests and home to a rich diversity of species, including
mushrooms, ferns, and various angiosperms.
Since its establishment, the protection and management of matsutake resources in this region have led to the recovery and further development of forest ecosystems and natural resources, resulting in a remarkable improvement in both the quality and quantity of matsutake mushrooms.
The harvesting of matsutake mushrooms is permitted only during designated periods.
Only farmers authorized to enter the protected area are allowed access, and every morning at 3 a.m. they head into the reserve to carefully harvest matsutake at the optimal time and in appropriate quantities.
Our contract farmers are particular about the size and shape of matsutake from the harvesting stage, striving to harvest only high-quality matsutake while protecting this precious resource.
After completing the harvest, the farmers descend from the mountains by late morning and immediately begin the sorting process.
Only the highest-quality matsutake mushrooms, carefully selected to meet the needs of the Japanese market, are chosen and prepared for shipment on the very same day.
Maintaining peak freshness, the mushrooms arrive at our refrigerated warehouse within 36 hours of harvest, where we conduct a final quality inspection before delivering them to our customers.
Thanks to this streamlined process, the mushrooms reach our clients within 72 hours at the latest.
Even the owner of “Hiyama,” a renowned yet discreet establishment in Kumamoto that is known among connoisseurs for purchasing only the finest freshly harvested domestic matsutake directly from producers and supplying them exclusively to prestigious restaurants and wholesalers, was astonished by the quality of our Tianfozhishan matsutake.
He praised them as, “Like Japan’s own red pine forest matsutake, the Tianfozhishan variety offers the perfect harmony of texture, flavor, and aroma—so exceptional I would almost rather keep it a secret.”
We invite you to experience this rare and exquisite delicacy for yourself.
