noun
red milk mushroom; Lactarius hatsudake
A type of edible mushroom with reddish cap and milky latex, found in pine forests in Japan and East Asia.
秋になると、松林でハツタケが採れる。
In autumn, you can pick red milk mushrooms in pine forests.
ハツタケは味噌汁に入れると美味しい。
Red milk mushrooms are delicious when added to miso soup.
The name ハツタケ (初茸) literally means 'first mushroom', likely referring to its early appearance in the mushroom season. The exact derivation is uncertain.