Research & reports

豊島区 · 豊島区 · Japan

The rooftop garden "Toshima Forest" on the 10th floor of Toshima Ward Office recreates the ward's former Musashino plateau, valley, and cliff-line terrain and vegetation, with tanks and biotopes for observing creatures of the Arakawa river system. The Board of Education runs environmental education programs for children linked to the garden, such as returning medaka fish to their habitat.

内閣（法令） · e-Gov法令検索 · Japan

Article 85 of the Building Standards Act Enforcement Order requires live loads on each part of a building to be calculated according to actual conditions in principle, but allows using tabulated values multiplied by floor area for listed room types. Rooftop plazas and balconies follow the same category-(1) values as residential rooms (1,800 N/sqm for floor structural calculation, 1,300 N/sqm for girders/columns/foundations, 600 N/sqm for seismic force), but for buildings used as schools or department stores, the higher category-(4) values apply (2,900/2,400/1,300 N/sqm).

Shigetomi Y., Ishigami A., Long Y., Chapman A. · Nature Communications, 15:8987 · Japan

Demonstrates that per-capita household food waste in Japan rises with the age of the household head, reaching roughly three times higher for those 70+ than for those under 30, with correspondingly large differences in food-waste-related greenhouse gas emissions. It highlights the need for age-targeted food-loss reduction strategies in an ageing society.

Shimpo N. · Landscape and Urban Planning, 251:105148 · Japan

Analyses how a suburban-Tokyo community garden (Seseragi Garden, Hino City) was managed for resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gardeners proactively set rules through discussion and sustained activity, helping maintain food security, physical and mental health, ikigai and social networks, thereby contributing to community resilience.

· 農福連携等推進会議（内閣官房） · Japan

Government vision (2019, revised 2024) promoting noufuku—agriculture-welfare collaboration enabling people with disabilities to participate in society through farming—as national policy, covering awareness, training, facility support, and market expansion via certification.

· 都市計画報告集 23巻3号 pp.429- · Japan

A report analyzing the potential and operational challenges of community gardens run or entered by private companies, discussing sustainable management models for company-partnered citizen gardens in housing complexes and neighborhoods and their contribution to community formation.

柏の葉スマートシティコンソーシアム, 国土交通省 都市局 · 国土交通省 都市局（スマートシティ実装化支援事業 報告書） · Japan

An MLIT support-program report documenting the implementation of Kashiwanoha Smart City, advanced by Mitsui Fudosan as co-developer through public-private-academia collaboration (UDCK). It covers the implementation and evaluation of resident-participatory initiatives across health, community and data use.

Nath T.K., Inoue M., Yim E.W., Takahashi S. · International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability · Japan

Using empirical data from two Japanese GIAHS sites, documents features of traditional agricultural practices and their values, including conservation of local crop varieties and revitalization of discontinued farming for rural livelihoods.

Mimura Y. · Journal of Ethnic Foods 11: Article 26 · Japan

Reviews the history, preservation, branding, and scientific research on Kyoto's heirloom vegetables (Kyo-yasai), highlighting how farmers, researchers, and municipalities sustain traditional landrace cultivation amid urbanization pressures.

新田 直人, 谷口 守 · 土木学会論文集 80巻11号 論文ID:23-00303 · Japan

Through multiple regression on fees at growing corporate-run kitchen gardens in metropolitan areas, this paper shows pricing reflects urban land-use factors such as rail access, distance from city center, and surrounding population, discussing expansion potential for private rooftop and non-farmland farms.

一般社団法人まちにわ ひばりが丘 · まちにわ ひばりが丘 公式活動報告書 · Japan

Annual report of the area-management organization after UR Hibarigaoka Danchi regeneration, documenting resident-led activities such as the shared garden and Niwa Marche at Hibari Terrace 118 and strengthened collaboration with developer subdivisions including Nomura, Daiwa, and Sumitomo.

住友不動産商業マネジメント株式会社, 武蔵野大学工学部サステナビリティ学科 · 武蔵野大学 / 住友不動産 共同プレスリリース · Japan

At Sumitomo Fudosan's Ariake Garden commercial facility, a resident-participatory container garden is launched jointly with Musashino University as a social experiment including urban permaculture workshops and wellbeing evaluation.

佐藤 光泰 · NOMURA Food & Agri Business Review Vol.14 · Japan

A Nomura Securities Food & Agri Business white paper presenting revenue simulations and cross-sell strategies for rental-farm businesses as urban agriculture entry opportunities for real estate and service firms, discussing private developer kitchen-garden business models.

一般財団法人都市農地活用支援センター · 都市農地活用支援センター 事例集 · Japan

A 2024 casebook on urban farmland use after the 2022 productive-green-area milestone, compiling 40 national examples including UR housing-district Kleingarten, rooftop farms, and private vacant-land community gardens, organizing latest private developer and corporate entry trends.

川崎市 · 川崎市 行政規程・実施要綱 · Japan

Kawasaki's implementation guidelines for city-established and city-managed citizen farms, defining land leasing under the Special Farmland Lease Act, plot recruitment and use conditions as the official basis for municipally operated rental gardens.

横浜市 環境創造局 · 横浜市 都市農業振興基本法に基づく地方計画 · Japan

Yokohama's latest five-year local plan under the Urban Agriculture Promotion Act, organising policies for sustainable farming, farmland preservation, citizen farms, harvest experiences and local consumption building on Midori Up and Megumi-no-Sato programmes.

東京都国分寺市 · 国分寺市 環境報告書 · Japan

Kokubunji's annual environmental report under the basic environment plan, evaluating urban farmland preservation, local consumption and biodiversity while documenting municipally supported programmes such as the Citizen Agriculture University and citizen farms.

Kondo C., Zollet S., Kobayashi M., Yamamoto N. · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Japan

A systematic analysis of fifty years since the 1971 Kobe origin of 'Teikei'—the root of CSA worldwide—tracing the evolution of the ten Teikei principles through cases across Japan, including Kansai groups (Iga, Nabari, Osaka, Kobe).

Black J. · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Japan

Analyzes the motivations of participants in Japanese alternative food networks (teikei, direct sales, farmers' markets) through the lens of culture, community and fun, focusing on the social-capital-building function of urban-rural connection.

Nakata Taichi, Naoyuki Nakahama, Nobuko Ohmido, Atushi Ushimaru · Ecology and Evolution · Japan (Kyoto–Osaka–Kobe)

In Japan's Kyoto–Osaka–Kobe megacity, the genetic diversity and structure of 24 Commelina communis populations were investigated across diverse habitat types, including rural agricultural land, urban agricultural land, urban park land, and urban roadsides. The establishment of diverse habitat types through urbanization was found to have no impact on C. communis genetic diversity and little impact on its genetic structure. This is likely due to the plant's high selfing rate and ability to adapt to urban conditions.

Chika Takatori, Yulu ZHENG, S.M. Asik Ullah · Urban and Regional Planning Review · Japan

This research proposed a spatial design framework for urban open and green spaces in Japan, focusing on urban agriculture amidst a declining and aging farming population. The study first analyzed and mapped the supply of land available for urban agriculture using GIS, population mesh data, and interviews. Secondly, it calculated and mapped the spatial distribution of demand for urban agriculture based on surveys and statistical information. Finally, a framework was constructed to compare, evaluate, and match the supply and demand of urban agriculture.

Hayato IIDA, Yasushi Kyutoku, Wakana KUDO, Yoshiki HARADA · Transactions of Japan Society of Kansei Engineering · Japan (Tokyo)

This study investigated whether the UGS (Urban Green Space Scale), an impression evaluation scale for Tokyo's urban green spaces, could assess impressions of two urban rooftop gardens with flat versus stepped spatial configurations. Based on an online questionnaire (N=670), confirmatory factor analyses indicated a poor or unacceptable fit of urban rooftop gardens to the UGS. Exploratory factor analyses yielded different factor structures, suggesting that new scales are required for evaluating impressions of urban rooftop gardens.

Runan Yang, Hironori Yagi · Cities · Japan (Tokyo)

A study investigated the occupational values of 89 certified urban farmers in Tokyo using both Likert scale and Best-Worst Scaling (BWS) methods. Analysis revealed that farmers highly prioritized relationships with consumers, while values related to nature and the environment were less emphasized. The BWS method offered deeper insights into farmers' values, uncovering subtleties that Likert scales may obscure.

Ahmya Ayaka, Fujita Hanako, Hide Haruka · Techno Agriculturae Studium of Research · Japan

This study explored the impact of verticulture technology on urban agriculture in Japan using a mixed-methods approach, including field experiments, farmer surveys, and production record analysis. The findings indicated that verticulture technology significantly improved crop yields by up to 30% per square meter and reduced water usage by 50% compared to traditional urban farming. It also lowered greenhouse gas emissions and minimized land use, demonstrating its potential for enhancing food production efficiency and sustainability in urban settings.

Guolin Xu, Shigeto YANAI · Journal of The Japanese Institute of Landscape Architecture · Japan

Based on a survey of 11 urban parks with allotment gardens in Yokohama City, Japan, this study examined the characteristics that promote participation by diverse entities in park management and explored more effective management approaches. Results showed that involvement of local organizations in management was limited to a small number of programs, that participation by diverse entities was associated with increased community interaction, improved intergenerational interaction, and greater park use, and that community gardens gave residents a venue for shared agricultural activity that promoted both community interaction and broader participation in management.