By The Straits Times | Created at 2026-07-20 05:26:18 | Updated at 2026-08-02 16:17:38
1 week ago
IWAKI, Fukushima – Shipping restrictions are still in place on log-grown shiitake mushrooms cultivated in open fields in Japan’s Tohoku and Kanto regions due to the spread of radioactive substances following the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in 2011.
Yoshiyuki Kudo, 81, a farmer in Soma, Fukushima Prefecture, one of the areas affected by the disaster, continues to grow mushrooms using logs from both inside and outside the prefecture to verify their safety.
In September, he became the only farmer in the city to have shipping restriction lifted. He is working to eventually have the entire country taste “authentic” mushrooms grown on Fukushima Prefecture logs.
In late June, Kudo was walking through a forest in Soma’s Tamano district, which is located in the Abukuma Mountains about 50km north-west of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
On a slope, 2,150 logs – each about 15cm in diameter and 90cm long — were lined up. The logs were placed on black sheets to prevent soil containing radioactive substances from adhering to them. Kudo expects to be able to harvest about 20kg of shiitake in the autumn.
“It’s precisely because we harness the power of nature that we can produce such delicious mushrooms,” Kudo said.
Following the nuclear accident, shipping restrictions were imposed on many agricultural products from various areas in eastern Japan. More than 15 years later, these restrictions are still in place for some products, including shiitake grown on logs in open fields.
According to the Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry, as of July 1, restrictions remained in place in 93 municipalities across Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi and Chiba prefectures, except for a few producers.
Fukushima Prefecture was one of the leading production sites in the country prior to the accident. But with 17 municipalities in the prefecture subject to restrictions, many farmers have given up production.
The number of producers in 2024 was 58, a nearly 90 per cent drop compared to 2010.
Kudo, a former employee of the agriculture ministry, became interested in mushroom cultivation through his hobby of mountain climbing. He retired in his 50s and moved to Soma about 10 years before the nuclear accident.
“The difference between morning and evening temperatures compared to afternoon temperatures concentrates the mushroom’s flavour and enhances its sweetness,” Kudo said.
As the climate was suitable for open-field cultivation, his mushrooms became popular both inside and outside the prefecture.
The nuclear accident occurred just as business was picking up. Although no evacuation order was issued in the area, radioactive substances were detected in areas far from the plant. He had no choice but to dispose of all his more than 20,000 logs.
He wondered what would have happened if he had chosen a different location to grow his mushrooms. However, he thought of his customers who looked forward to eating his shiitake, so he felt that he needed to keep going.
Three years later, Kudo began testing open-field cultivation of shiitake on logs from Nagano Prefecture. He measured radioactive cesium levels and continued submitting data to the prefectural government to show that levels were below the safety standard of 100 becquerels per kg. He eventually received approval, and shipping restrictions were lifted.
“I waited impatiently,” Kudo said. “It was such a long wait.”
Although production is less than 10 per cent compared to before the accident, Kudo resumed sales at roadside stations and other locations within Fukushima Prefecture.
“They’re meaty and full of flavour, and sales are going strong,” said a worker at a direct-sales shop. “I hope he’ll keep producing them for a long time.”
Kudo’s next goal is to cultivate the mushrooms on logs from the lush Abukuma Mountains. He is hopeful but is uncertain how long it will take to realise his goal.
“True recovery will come when I can cultivate shiitake using local wood,” Kudo said. “I want to keep taking on this challenge.” THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
