Takashi Haga of a Yamada Shiitake Farm

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Mr. Takashi Haga
Shiitake farmer
Yamada Town

Mr. Takashi Haga is a Yamada native. He attended the Japan Fungi Vocational School in Tottori Prefecture after graduating from Tono City Ryokuho High School. Then he returned to Yamada to help run his family business of cultivating shiitake mushrooms. His father has been awarded the "Minister of Agriculture Award" 10 times in the past at the Shiitake Quality Contest held once a year, which netted him the status of a Master. Mr. Takashi himself has also consecutively won the same award twice and he continues his work to achieve the Master status as well.

Shiitake - Yamada's most well-known produce

Yamada Town is known for its abundant amount of delicious seafood and agricultural produce. Out of many, shiitake mushrooms, are usually known as the best representative of Yamada's land bounty. Often these mushrooms are farmed using the sawdust block method, but Mr. Haga grows his using logs from the Quercus serrata （oak, native to East Asian） tree.

He passionately explains: "You get more umami and a richer flavor when you use the log method as opposed to the sawdust block method. I start by chopping the logs and eventually sell the harvested mushrooms at the Yamada roadside station. During peak growing times, I use about 1,000L of kerosene oil a day to make dried shiitake mushrooms. "

Overcoming the effects of the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster

The Fukushima Nuclear Disaster, accompanied by the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, had a huge impact on Mr. Haga's farm.

Shipments of all shiitake mushrooms were suspended in Yamada following the disaster. Mr Haga cultivates his mushrooms in Miyako City so he narrowly avoided the suspension, but did suffer from a massive price crash. Almost half of the shiitake mushroom farms north of Fukushima were forced to close their businesses.

"Of course, I've tested my mushrooms for radiation and passed. My intention is to provide a safe and delicious shiitake," said Mr. Haga. "The mushroom hunting event I started last year will continue on and I plan to promote the foods of Yamada," he added as he aspires to diligently cultivate shiitake mushrooms and eventually obtain the Master status by winning the "Ministry of Agriculture Award" ten times.