Research & reports

農林水産省 · 農林水産省 · Japan

This implementation manual from Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries sets out procedures and eligible expenses for programs supporting urban agriculture's functions, including welfare farms and a program for disaster-collaboration farmland. To qualify as disaster-collaboration farmland, a plot must be roughly 500 square meters or larger and located within a densely inhabited district as defined by the most recent census; the program also funds 'disaster-dual-use agricultural facilities' meant to protect residents' safety and livelihoods during emergencies such as earthquakes.

国立環境研究所 · 国立環境研究所 環境展望台 · Japan

This National Institute for Environmental Studies explainer on rooftop and wall greening (revised May 2016) cites a 1985 Chubu Electric Power experiment finding 20-30% energy savings compared to traditional sunshades (yoshizu). It reports about 413.8 hectares of rooftop greening and 68.0 hectares of wall greening installed nationwide over the 15 years from FY2000 to FY2014, with FY2014 alone contributing about 26.9 hectares of rooftop and 5.0 hectares of wall greening, though FY2009 saw about a 20% year-on-year contraction. It also notes implementation challenges such as structural load assessment, root-barrier installation, and ongoing irrigation management.

Sakurai Shin · Nippon.com · Japan

A feature on the Ginza Honey Bee Project ('Ginpachi'), a nonprofit founded in March 2006 by Tanaka Atsuo, which installed beehives on the roof of the Kami Parupu Kaikan building in central Tokyo, drawing nectar from Hibiya Park and the Imperial Palace grounds within roughly a 3km radius. A decade on, the project has grown to 150 members, supplies honey products sold at the Matsuya Ginza department store and honey cocktails at nearby bars, and has inspired more than 100 urban beekeeping projects nationwide as well as projects in South Korea, Taiwan and elsewhere in Asia.

社会的インパクト評価検討ワーキング・グループ · 内閣府（社会的インパクト評価検討ワーキング・グループ） · Japan

A March 2016 report by Japan's Working Group on Social Impact Evaluation. Against shrinking public resources under population decline and fiscal constraint, it aims to draw private resources into solving social problems and to grow organisations — large or small — whose purpose is creating impact. Organised in four chapters (why social impact evaluation is needed, what it is, how to do it, and the obstacles to its spread), it centres on accountability to stakeholders as the precondition for raising outside resources, with appendices and columns on logic models and theory of change, British diffusion policy, and shared measurement.

Shimpo N., Saito K. · ランドスケープ研究 (Journal of the Japanese Institute of Landscape Architecture), 78(5):629-634 · Japan

A peer-reviewed literature study organising the historical development of 'urban agriculture' (allotment gardens, community gardens, etc.) from both planners' and users' perspectives. Argues that appropriate planning of urban gardening must incorporate both viewpoints.

· 農林水産省・国土交通省 · Japan

Government explainer of the 2015 Urban Agriculture Promotion Basic Law, setting out its purpose, principles, and the responsibilities of national and local governments, and articulating the multifunctional roles of urban agriculture.

山口 創 · 食資源教育研究センター報告（CEIS Papers）, 29: 83-88 · Japan

Through interview surveys of three cases (Komoike-dainagon bean, Harima-o garlic, Himeji-ebiimo taro), this paper analyzes the process by which local varieties become recognized regional resources and the challenges of their development.

· 法令（e-Gov法令検索・427AC0100000014） · Japan

Japan's 2015 framework law for urban agriculture, aiming at its stable continuation and the multifunctional roles it plays in the urban environment. The statutory basis for the policy reversal that recast urban farmland from 'land to be converted to housing' into 'land that ought to remain', obliging the national government to adopt a basic plan.

Watanabe Y., Miyamoto M., Amemiya M., Terada T., Yokohari M. · ランドスケープ研究 77(5):713-718 · Japan

Taking the 'Jiyu Hiroba' community garden established under Kashiwa City's Kashiniwa program as a case study, the paper analyzes how the publicness of a community garden is generated and transformed, drawing on resident-drawn site plans, annual management reports, and interviews with neighborhood-association members.

Nishizawa T. · Advances in Horticultural Science · Japan

Reviews the status and outlook of Japan's solar- and artificial-light plant factories, covering the post-disaster and policy-driven expansion of corporate entry and the profitability challenges of commercial operation in urban food production.

河野 誠, 藤田 直子 · ランドスケープ研究 77巻5号 pp.433-436 · Japan

Analyzing user needs at corporate-run rooftop and over-track rental farms such as Toho Leo's 'Machinaka Saen', this paper characterizes high fees, convenient locations, and rich services as hallmarks of pioneering private-sector urban farm models.

国土交通省 都市局 · 国土交通省 委託調査報告書 · Japan

MLIT commissioned survey on Setagaya's productive-greenbelt designation, landscape-farmland districts, citizen farms and agricultural parks as models of urban farmland preservation and public-participation farming under public support.

環境省 · 環境省 グッドライフアワード · Japan

The official write-up of 'Kitakagaya Minna no Uen' (run by NPO Co.to.hana) as a winner of the Ministry of the Environment's 2nd Good Life Award, describing how residents and experts jointly turned vacant land into a garden fostering intergenerational exchange through farming.

Noriko Akita · AIJ Journal of Technology and Design · Japan, United States (New York City)

This research examines the institutionalization of community gardens in Japan by referencing New York City's model. New York City has 35 years of community garden management experience and an established support structure, with many gardens having individual divisions for land use. In contrast, Japan's community gardens primarily use public spaces. The study clarified the specific support contents and management conditions in New York City.

Hara Y., Tsuchiya K., Matsuda H., Yamamoto Y., Sampei Y. · Sustainability Science (Springer) 8, 515–527 · Japan (Osaka)

A multi-scale GIS analysis of the 'local production for local consumption' movement in the Osaka city region, estimating a ~70% vegetable production/consumption ratio within 80 km (rising to 75% by restoring abandoned farmland), quantifying peri-urban agriculture's contribution to regional food security.

八木洋憲 · 農村計画学会誌 · Japan (Tokyo)

A 2013 empirical analysis of how location shapes demand for 'experience farms' (taiken nouen, farmer-led pay-to-participate allotments) in Tokyo, Japan, combining a user survey with small-area census statistics (Journal of Rural Planning Association 32, Special Issue, pp. 323–328). Most users lived within 2 km of the plot, and roughly 0.5% of residents within 250 m became users. Nearby competing experience farms reduced demand at more distant sites, whereas adjacent conventional allotment gardens showed no competitive relationship. For an operator this means the catchment is narrow and neighbouring facilities of the same type divide the same demand, so siting largely determines whether the operation works. The paper does not analyse fees or profit and loss.

卓也 林 · Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB) · Japan (Inagi City)

This study examined the management characteristics of direct farm sales outlets and the role of agriculture in urban areas, using pear farmers in Inagi City, Tokyo, as an example. Field surveys confirmed a decrease in pear picking activities and a high ratio of direct sales and home delivery. While familiarity with agriculture has increased due to farmers' cooperation in agricultural experience learning and the establishment of many community gardens, a limitation was identified: to convey the value of urban agriculture to those with low interest, the enhancement of pear picking, allowing easy interaction with farmers on farmland, is required.

修一 舩戸 · Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB) · Japan (Hino City)

This paper examined the sustainability of urban agriculture through volunteer farming initiatives in Hino City and Machida City, Tokyo. In Hino City, the "Hinojin Ennou no Kai" has provided free farming assistance since 2006, while in Machida City, the NPO "Tagayasu" has offered paid assistance since 2002. Based on these cases, the impact of collaboration between citizens and local farmers on the sustainability of urban agriculture was discussed.

元 山中 · Hosei University Repository (Hosei University) · Japan

This plan designs a small unmanned store for farmers to directly sell vegetables, aiming to revitalize declining urban agriculture by building relationships between citizens and farmers. Thinner timber is used as a construction material, contributing to forest reproduction through forest volunteer participation and timber purchase. The unit is designed to be foldable and movable, and methods for displaying vegetables suitable for each type are proposed.

Masao Makiyama, Norifumi Hosoya, Mami Inoue · JOURNAL OF RURAL PLANNING ASSOCIATION · Japan

This study examined the regional distribution of stay-type allotment gardens (kleingartens, KGs) and their facilities, focusing on vacant facilities and future construction planning. Significant numbers of KGs and facilities were found in Nagano and Hyogo Prefectures, with Nagano having many early constructions. In fiscal year 2011, 22 KGs had vacant facilities, but this could not be solely explained by facility location density.

Akira Yuzawa · Journal of Architecture and Planning (Transactions of AIJ) · Japan

This study examined user characteristics and effects of allotment gardens, focusing on "the community farm YUI" in Japan. It found that the main applicants were men aged 50 or older, and key factors in choosing an allotment garden were use charge, distance from home, and agricultural guidance. The identified effects of allotment gardens included providing a purpose for living, fostering agricultural understanding, and promoting exchange among participants.

Takanori Kuronuma, Saori Hashimoto, Ryuta CHIMURA, Haruaki YOKOKAWA, Kazunori Sakamoto, Hitoshi Watanabe · Journal of the Japanese Society of Revegetation Technology · Japan

This study investigated the annual changes in lightweight soil in a thin substratum rooftop garden planted with Zoysia grass. No annual changes were observed in grass growth or soil physical properties. Soil organic matter tended to increase after construction, and nutrient salt content was comparable to golf course green soil diagnostic standards. However, nutrient salt levels in unused lightweight soil were significantly higher than after construction and decreased annually. No difference in nutrient salt content was confirmed with or without additional fertilization, suggesting the need for fertilization management tailored to the unique rooftop environment.

Yugo YAMAMOTO, Asami ORITA, Motoyuki NAGAI · Studies in Regional Science · Japan (Osaka)

A questionnaire survey was conducted among LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) and general consumers in Osaka Prefecture to identify sustainable lifestyles related to food production and consumption and evaluate their effect on CO2 emissions. LOHAS consumers tended to participate in local food production activities and make purchasing decisions based on health and environmental consciousness. Their total daily life CO2 emissions were 15% lower than regular consumers, but their transportation-related CO2 emissions were higher due to roundtrips to local farm shops.

Masao Makiyama, Mami Inoue · JOURNAL OF RURAL PLANNING ASSOCIATION · Japan

This study investigated the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake on Fudouson and Hippo stay-type allotment gardens in Marumori Town, Miyagi Prefecture. Immediately after the earthquake, management entities confirmed user safety and conducted rescue operations. Post-earthquake, some users retired, but the gardens gained new users who were earthquake victims or reconstruction workers.

東京都都市整備局 · 東京都都市整備局（民有地の緑の保全・創出 制度） · Japan

A Tokyo system created in 2011 to conserve dwindling farmland as open space and carry the agricultural landscape into the future. Districts where farmland and homestead groves remain clustered are designated so that scattered farmland can be conserved collectively as urban-planning parks/green space. Designations include Setagaya's Kitami (the first) and Nerima's Takamatsu and Minami-Oizumi, providing the policy framework for municipal urban-farmland conservation.