The traditional cultivation of shiitake (Lentinula edodes) on oak logs has been replaced in part by cultivation in plastic bags with sterilized sawdust since this method offers a higher biological efficiency and a shorter cultivation cycle. However, the sterilization process has a high initial installation cost and consumes more energy. The feasibility of cultivating shiitake in pasteurized straw offers a very important alternative for subtropical regions since straw is generally an easily accessible substrate. Pasteurized straw (of different cereals: wheat, barley, etc.) has become, in recent years, a suitable substrate for the cultivation of shiitake since some strains adapted to this substrate have been selected. The selection of efficient strains is fundamental because a non-sterile substrate is used. An update of the cultivation of shiitake on straw and an analysis of its possibilities of adaptation in subtropical climates is presented.