Gifu City Health Fureai Farm / Elderly Health Garden
Gifu, Gifu, Japan · Operator: 岐阜市(高齢福祉課)/JAぎふ
Overview
Gifu City's elderly health gardens, run across the city for older residents' wellbeing and purpose, plus JA Gifu's Health Fureai Farm. Residents aged 60+ enjoy growing vegetables on rented plots.
Citizen participation
Residents aged 60 and over rent plots and pursue health and a sense of purpose through the joy of growing and harvesting crops, giving older people a place to engage with farming in their free time.
Operating model
As part of the city's elderly-welfare policy, elderly health gardens are sited across the city, while JA Gifu runs the leased plots of the Health Fureai Farm, on an annually renewed membership basis.
Impact
Creating outings, exercise, and community exchange for older residents, it is established as an urban citizens' garden for seniors linking the city's elderly welfare with JA's farm operation.
Land tenure
Plots developed by the city and JA are leased to senior residents (renewed yearly).
Crops
- vegetables
- flowers
Scale
老人健康農園は長良・茜部・長森・市橋ほか市内各所に設置。健康ふれあい農園はJAぎふが貸付区画を運営(岐阜市安食)。対象は60歳以上、年度更新。
Sources(2)
This entry is compiled from the public sources, official sites and research below.
Related cases
Seseragi Community Garden (Machi no Namagomi Ikashi-tai)
JPHino, Japan
A community garden in Hino City, Tokyo, started by citizens who believe 'kitchen waste is a treasure.' It collects and composts the kitchen waste of around 200 households and grows vegetables and flowers pesticide-free as a food-cycle garden. Naomi Shimpo studied its management and governance in detail in her 2021 and 2024 papers.
acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com+3
Nerima Ward Agricultural Experience Farms
JPNerima, Tokyo, Japan
Nerima created Japan's first agricultural experience farm in 1996 and is a pioneer of urban agriculture. The 'Nerima model', in which farmers act as instructors for residents, has spread nationwide, with over a dozen farms still operating in the ward. It is a leading model for using urban farmland as a place of learning and community exchange.
city.nerima.tokyo.jp+1
Setagaya Fureai (Contact) Farms and Family Allotments
JPSetagaya, Tokyo, Japan
Setagaya provides a range of official ways for residents to engage with urban farming: Family Allotments (~10 sqm fully equipped plots), harvest and planting experiences at Fureai farms, a JA farmers market for 'Setagaya-sodachi' produce, and a map of about 110 farm stands.
city.setagaya.lg.jp+1
Nagoya Agricultural Center 'dela Farm' Citizen Garden
JPNagoya, Japan
The Nagoya Agricultural Center (nicknamed 'dela Farm'), an agricultural park opened in 1965 and fully renovated in 2024, serves as a hub where residents deepen their understanding of farming through hands-on growing at its Citizen Garden and other municipal farms across the city.
city.nagoya.jp+1