Shimeji Mushrooms

The Asian mushroom called “Shimeji” (Hypsizygus Tessellatus) belongs to the family of wood or tree oyster mushrooms and grows on trees in East Asian forests. More specifically, it likes to grow on beech trees, which is why it is also called “beech mushroom” or in Japanese “Buna-Shimeji” (シメジ).

It is an aromatic edible mushroom with a slightly nutty note, whose color varies between brown and white depending on how much light it has received. Cultivated Shimeji mushrooms are harvested in clusters and sold as such in Asian supermarkets.

In some Southeast Asian countries, the name Shimeji is adopted phonetically and adapted to the sound system and script: “Hed Shimeji” ( เห็ดชิเมจิ ) in Thai, “Hed Shimeji” (ເຫັດຊິເມຈິ) in Lao, “Nấm Shimeji” in Vietnamese, and “Psət Shimeji” (ផ្សិតស៊ីមេជី) in Khmer.

In Chinese, descriptive names are used, such as “Zhen Ji Gu” (真姬菇) or “Bai Yu Gu” (白玉菇), which refer to the appearance and cultivation form and do not represent a phonetic transfer. Korean also uses its own designation with “Mangadak Beoseot” (만가닥버섯), which clearly distinguishes this mushroom from other edible mushrooms.

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