City Farming blooms with Baby Boomers in Japan

Many of the “city farms” are in fact intended to be only cultivated at weekends

By William Andrews
Japan Trends
August 23, 2010

Excerpts:

J-Cast news is reporting that shimin noen (or farms located near cities) have increased threefold over the last 15 years, up to 3,382 sites for fiscal 2008, with local governments and NPOs inundated with applications for certain areas.

Around 70 per cent of these “farms” are 50 square meters, with the rental cost as little as 5,000 yen (about $58) for a year’s use. Many of these aspiring farmers are said to be middle-aged salarymen and retirees keen to get their fingers green.

Eco consumer innovations have been some of the biggest media topics for the last few years in Japan, as we have noted many times before. With the Baby Boom Generation set to begin retiring en masse, they are looking for ways to spend their days. No doubt, scandals with food safety (particularly processed gyoza dumplings made in China!) have also inspired a desire for safer, more natural food.

Many of the “city farms” are in fact intended to be only cultivated at weekends or after work. People are seeking a rural, eco experience but in a way that does not interfere too much with the benefits of their suburban or urban lifestyles.

See the complete story here.