Sugimoto Shiitake on Business Insider

How Japan's Priciest Shiitake Mushrooms Fuel The $740 Million Global Shiitake Industry

Business Insider's So Expensive series delves into what it takes to grow the very best "white flower" shiitake mushrooms.

Japan is one of the leading producers of shiitake mushrooms. These mushrooms are notoriously difficult to cultivate on a commercial scale — especially when using the 1,000-year-old Japanese technique of wood-grown mushrooms. In the US, indoor-grown shiitake sells for upwards of $8 per pound, while forest-grown shiitakes have commanded a much higher price, up to $18 per pound. The most premium shiitake mushrooms are called white flower shiitake, and the forest-grown versions can sell for over $160 per pound. White flower shiitakes have noticeable white cracks on the caps and a strong flavor, but even just a few drops of rain can ruin them completely. Here's why forest-grown shiitake mushrooms are so expensive.