Community farm in Harajuku aims to turn vacant land into green classroom

A citizens’ group will convert an unused plot of state-owned land in Tokyo’s Harajuku district into “Harajuku Harappa Farm”, a temporary community farm. The project aims to create a green space for learning and community interaction in a city centre where such opportunities are scarce.

The Council for Urban Farmland and Disaster Prevention Gardens, an organisation of residents and experts, will run the 1,525-square-metre site in Jingumae, Shibuya Ward. After negotiations with the national government and Shibuya Ward, the council secured the land that is roughly the size of seven tennis courts for a 10-month period from April 2025 to January 2026.

The project also aims to tackle the shortage of farmland in central Tokyo, giving residents, especially children, a place to learn how to grow food. Nearby schools, including Harajuku Gaien Junior High School, plan to use the farm as an outdoor classroom.

The farm will operate on circular-economy principles. Organic waste such as food scraps and wood chips will be composted on-site, removing the need for chemical fertilisers and pesticides. All structures, from raised beds to compost bins, will be built from materials that can be reused elsewhere or safely returned to the earth.

Designed as an open, inclusive space, the farm will offer team plots, demonstration beds tended by expert gardeners and fields where any visitor can lend a hand. Workshops on composting and gardening are planned, and a disaster-prevention stove will be installed for emergencies. The council hopes the project will become a template for temporary use of vacant urban land.