NURF — Nagoya Urban Regenerative Farm (Higashi Betsuin)
Nagoya, Aichi, Japan · Operator: NPO法人 Green Journey(リーダー:空木マイカ/技術指導:飯尾裕光)
Overview
Started April 2023 on vacant land at Nagoya’s Higashi Betsuin. Regenerative edible gardening aims to make Nagoya an edible city; about fifty people drop in between work and childcare, practising urban carbon sequestration.
Citizen participation
Open to anyone: monthly whole-group sessions on the 28th plus drop-in care. Worm compost is free to use; potluck sandwich parties follow workdays. The project also seeks more vacant lots.
Operating model
An NPO civic project farming temple vacant land with regenerative (e.g. no-till) methods for carbon sequestration and edible gardens—grassroots, donation-supported, low barrier to join.
Impact
Pairs inner-city carbon sequestration with intergenerational exchange as a seed for an edible-city vision.
Land tenure
Free loan of temple vacant land; further lots sought for expansion
Crops
- vegetables
- herbs
- flowers
Scale
東別院が貸した細長い空き地(報道では横約3m×縦約20m規模)。メンバー52人(2025年10月時点)
In the media(2)
Web articles and features that cover this case.
Sources(1)
This entry is compiled from the public sources, official sites and research below.
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