To investigate the effects of edible mushrooms on colonic luminal variables, including fecal mucins, organic acids, microbial composition, immunoglobulin A (IgA), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and cecal organic acids, male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a 30 % lard diet containing one of 12 species of edible mushrooms for 2 weeks. We found that the dietary intake of shiitake (Lentinula edodes), enokitake (Flammulina velutipes), white button (Agaricus bisporus) and yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) mushrooms elevated fecal ALP activity as well as increased fecal IgA, mucins, fecal Bacteroides ratio, and cecal total organic acids. In contrast, the intake of dietary eringi (Pleurotus eryngii), maitake (Grifola frondosa), tamogitake (Pleurotus cornucopiae), wood ear (Auricularia auricula-judae) and bunashimeji (Hypsizygus marmoreus) mushrooms had minimal effects on the colonic environment factors. We speculated that edible mushrooms could be grouped according to their effects on the colonic luminal environment.