The brown beech mushroom is the true shimeji mushroom which, in nature, grows on wood, often beech as its main English name implies. They are brown button mushrooms which come in clumps that grow from a single stem, which should be short and thick. These are a good source of lysine and vitamin B1. Cooking them releases a distinctive flavour and aroma, making them very suitable for soups, simmered and nabe dishes, and mixed rice dishes. This mushroom, now cultivated in Japan, is highly esteemed. It should always be cooked as it is bitter and indigestible when raw, but makes a good addition to soups and stews. (If gathering mushrooms you must be absolutely certain what you have before you eat them as many are very poisonous.)
