Matsutake mushrooms harvested in Japan can cost over $500 per kilogram. Mushroom foragers like Gihei Fujiwara search for matsutake once a year around early fall. But it's hard to predict the quality of a harvest. Over the past 70 years, Japan's harvest has declined by over 95%. Now the mushroom's future is unclear. So what makes these mushrooms so expensive? And why have they almost disappeared? MORE SO EXPENSIVE VIDEOS: Why Pine Nuts Are So Expensive | So Expensive https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k88Cu5SoABg Why Cashew Nuts Are So Expensive | So Expensive https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXTZVKYYyig Why Japanese Ruby Roman Grapes Are So Expensive | So Expensive https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE7NqzhMDms ------------------------------------------------------ #Mushrooms #SoExpensive #BusinessInsider Business Insider tells you all you need to know about business, finance, tech, retail, and more. Visit us at: https://www.businessinsider.com/ Subscribe: null BI on Facebook: https://read.bi/2xOcEcj BI on Instagram: https://read.bi/2Q2D29T BI on Twitter: https://read.bi/2xCnzGF BI on Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/discover/Business_Insider/5319643143 Boot Camp on Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/discover/Boot_Camp/3383377771 Why Matsutake Mushrooms Are So Expensive | So Expensive