In Ishikawa prefecture hit by the earthquake a year ago
A pack of six shiitake mushrooms from the Noto region in central-western Japan reached a record price of 350,000 yen, equivalent to 2,150 euros, at the first auction of the year. The presence of the prized “Nototemari” variety, as expected, attracted a lot of attention in the city of Kanazawa, capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, the same one hit by the 7.6 magnitude earthquake exactly one year ago, while the Noto peninsula is still struggling to recover from the natural disasters that occurred last year: in addition to the powerful earthquake, violent torrential rains hit the western side of the archipelago last September. According to a commission formed by local producers, mushrooms from four municipalities in the region, including Wajima, one of the areas most affected by the earthquake, must meet various criteria, such as having a cap at least 8 centimeters wide and a thickness of 3 centimeters to suit the “Nototemari” variety; characterized by a unique aroma, as stated in the consortium’s notes, and by their pleasant rubbery consistency. The president of the organization Yoshikatsu Hinoshita, speaking to local media, urged residents to consider “the achievement of having obtained such a valuable product when enjoying mushrooms, despite the difficulties experienced in the area in the last year”.
