Reviving Lucrative Matsutake Mushroom Harvesting and Restoring the Commons in Contemporary Japan

Abstract

"This paper presents a brief history of matsutake mushroom production in Japan-- this is probably the most valuable mushroom in the world, and it cannot be cultivated so must be found wild in natural forests. The harvesting of matsutake, almost always from iriai common land, has declined in Japan in spite of the lucrative profits available. Some have assumed this decline is due to losses of iriai land or difficulties managing land in common, and it is certainly the case that much iriai land has been converted to suburbs, golf courses, and the like. However, it appears that a very serious problem is the impoverishment of habitat. One problem is the decline and disease in the species of pine tree with which matsutake is associated, and another is that matsutake actually depend on traditional commons practices of gathering and clearing undergrowth and leaf litter that is gathered as fuel or fertilizer. This paper compares bidding systems for allotment of matsutake gathering rights in three villages with different practices, to examine the impact of these arrangements on village finances, matsutake production, and enhancement of matsutake habitat. Contrary to the expectations, habitat for matsutake was not improved when land owners were guaranteed the gathering rights to matsutake growing on their own individual lands. Instead, habitat improvement was most successful and matsutake production was highest on community-owned lands in Oka Village where the iriai tradition is strongest."