Nameko (Pholiota nameko)
Nameko is common in the cool temperate highlands of China, Taiwan, and throughout the islands of northern Japan, where it has become one of the four most popular cultivated mushrooms. This small, slender mushroom grows in clusters and looks very much like a ceramic model with its shiny orangey cap. It cooks quickly to a sweet, gentle flavor that suggests a chanterelle. However, it costs less than shiitake or matsutake. It does not sauté well, turning instead to a tough sticky mess; but it is a popular item in miso shiru, nabemono, and some aemono dishes.