Professional Farmers in the City: Urban Agriculture in Tokyo

Presented by Dr. Makoto Yokohari, Presidential Endowed Chair, The University of Tokyo

This presentation will examine the past and present of urban agriculture in Tokyo, highlighting the impacts of policies and regulations on its practices.

Urban agriculture not only provides fresh, nutrient-rich food to local communities but also minimizes food mileage, thereby mitigating CO2 emissions. Nevertheless, urban agriculture in most global cities is primarily practiced by non-professional, “hobby” farmers on fragmented plots like vacant lots and rooftops.

Tokyo, a global megacity with a population exceeding 14 million, presents a unique case. Approximately 3% of its land area is dedicated to agriculture, managed by “professional” farmers. The city comprises 10,000 agricultural households producing over 50 varieties of vegetables, alongside various fruits, flowers, and ornamental trees. These products are distributed chiefly through direct producer-consumer channels rather than wholesale markets. While agricultural activities have persisted throughout Tokyo's history, the city did not initially intend to preserve this heritage. Modern national and local land-use policies historically rejected the integration of urban and rural zones, pursuing strict separation instead. However, this presentation will highlight farmlands that inadvertently survived within the urban fabric, now recognized as integral components of the urban landscape, safeguarded by contemporary national and local regulations.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Makoto Yokohari is Presidential Endowed Chair at The University of Tokyo with academic interests in urban planning, landscape planning and landscape ecology. In addition to his teaching and research positions in Japan since 1986, Dr. Yokohari’s professional career includes appointments as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Guelph, Canada and the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. His career as a technical advisor in Japan includes planning committees for the National Capital Region, EXPO2005, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Dr. Yokohari was the President of the City Planning Institute of Japan (2016 to 2018), the President of the Japanese Institute of Landscape Architecture (2017 to 2019), and currently the President of the Organization for Landscape and Urban Green Infrastructure (since 2021). Dr. Yokohari has over 250 publications including over 150 peer-reviewed journal papers.

This lecture is presented by The Department of Architectural Science and The Centre for Studies in Food Security.