Uncovering Japan’s edible cities and sustainable urban living

Inspired by the 2014 documentary “Edible City,” some Japanese cities have turned city streets and parks into urban food oases. These are some examples.

Edible Way, Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture

The “Edible Way” is about a 1 km stretch between the JR Matsudo Station and the Matsudo campus of Chiba University, where movable fabric planters are available for residents to grow vegetables. It started when a graduate student studying “edible landscaping” practices in the US and the UK at the Chiba University Faculty of Horticulture saw the need for food security during the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake.

The Edible Way has also become a placemaking tool. The Edible Way group organizes workshops, potlucks and other community events to unite people through the urban green initiative.

Edible Kayabaen, Kayabacho, Tokyo

Edible Kayabaen is a rooftop farm in downtown Tokyo managed by Edible Schoolyard Japan. It also runs Earth Skhole, a garden-based sensory active learning program for elementary school-age children. The curriculum includes composting techniques, making miso and harvesting fresh produce. Edible Schoolyard Japan also organizes active learning sessions for grownups.

Edible Park, Otemachi, Tokyo

The Edible Park is a futuristic rooftop community garden in the Otemachi business district. Its concept is to create “commons,” where people jointly nurture and protect local resources, even in cities. Access to the rooftop is managed through an app with a QR code, and members can monitor the growth of their produce via a smartphone app, thanks to the sensors installed in the garden. They can harvest produce or even bring it to partner restaurants to have it cooked on the spot.

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Tokyo Urban Farming, various locations, Tokyo

Tokyo Urban Farming seeks to transform rooftops and other open city spaces into self-sustainable and regenerative solutions. It provides an interactive map of edible parks, gardens and other initiatives in various sizes throughout Tokyo.

Your next visit to Japan can include a tour of these edible community sites and a sampling of fresh produce in the middle of urban architecture.