Shimeji mushroom to get worldwide popularity courtesy biotechnology

Kyoto is famous for Shimeji mushroom, which is artificially cultivated in the factories here.

The cultivation of Shimeji Mushroom seemed to be difficult, but biotechnology developed by Takara Bio enables the cultivation artificially. Takara Bio has a big share in Japanese Mushroom market. There is mass cultivation in this factory and then it is shipped to the market.

"Kyoto Kyotanba town is covered with thick fog during autumn and winter. This thick fog brings up good mushroom. Tanba Matsutake mushroom is very famous. Utilizing this environment, Shimeji Mushroom is successfully cultivated," Takashi Egashira, Manager of Takara Bio Inc. said.

Japan's All Nippon Airlines (ANA) has started 'Tastes of Japan' to introduce Japanese ingredient all over the world.

In this project, various cuisine and tradition of each prefecture are introduced. Shimeji Mushroom is adopted to in-flight meal ingredient.

"Only in Kyoto food is big subject for ANA. This Shimeji Mushroom, especially Honshimeji is the main stream of Shimeji Mushroom. ANA nominated it as a representative ingredient of Kyoto. It will satisfy all airline passengers," said Toshihiro Yamaguchi from All Nippon Airways Co. Ltd.

Mainstream of Shimeji Mushroom - Honshimeji Mushroom is one of the special products of Kyoto.

The success of artificial cultivation accelerated fame of it.

'This Shimeji Mushroom is registered to Kyoto brand product. Kyoto Prefecture promotes Shimeji Mushroom. I hope the opportunity to try Shimeji Mushroom is provided people all over the world under the cooperation of ANA," Egashira said.

Water, wind and solar are the major sources of power. In Japan, emphasis is given on earth thermal energy.

"This air condition is worked by earth thermal energy heat pump. It is most clean and sustainable energy resource," said Chieri Murakami from Sunpot Co. Ltd.

Temperature of earth is kept 2 degrees higher than average temperature on the ground through the year.

To extract earth thermal energy and utilize for energy resource enable to produce big energy by small electricity.

Earth thermal energy heat pump system for air condition is worked by anti-freezing fluid.

Digging 100 meters length tunnel to circulate anti-freezing fluid and extract earth thermal.

"Bury pipe of polyethylene underground 100 meters and extract earth thermal energy," Murakami said.

Exhaustion of CO2 is less and it is enclosed. It excludes environment pollution of earth.

Murakami further stated that earth thermal energy helps modern life to save energy and clean environment life.

It is regarded effective for Asian countries which have hot climate.

"For cool air condition this earth thermal energy heat pump system does not exhaust heat to the air but to the earth. It is effective for prevention of heat island phenomenon. In Southeast Asia this system provides high speed running to keep environment," Murakami added.