The farm to market focus in Japan is lower than in many western countries but is slowly gaining traction at Tokyo Farmers Markets. Below you can find five Tokyo Farmers Markers that moms love! Always so much fun to take the kiddos and find fresh fruits, veggies and handmade bake products, jellies, cheese, and more.
Tokyo Farmers Markets – Tokyo Moms’ Favorite Farmer Markets
1. The Roppongi Ark Hills Marche (Roppongi, Tokyo)
Tokyo Farmers Markets at Roppongi Ark Hills farmers market provides fresh produce from Tokyo farmers in Kokubunji and Okutama, fresh seafood, preserves, handmade crafts and a variety of baked goods from restaurants surrounding the market. They even provide a small market-type play area for the kids. Go early and then enjoy a nice family breakfast or lunch at Bubby’s in Ark Hills. Check out our Akasaka or Roppongi family guide for other fun things to do.
Roppongi Ark Hills Farmers Markets Details
When: Every Saturday 10:00 – 14:00
Address: 1-12-32 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo (google maps)
Website: http://www.arkhills.com/marche
Access: Roppongi 1-chome Station Exit 3 (Nanboku Lines); Tameike-Sanno Station Exit 13 (Ginza Lines)
Kid-friendly restaurants surround the market. Restaurant list here.
2. The Farmers Market at the UN University (Aoyama, Tokyo)
Love, love wondering through the farmers market at the UN University between Omotesando and Shibuya stations. Over 70 vendors come to sell their fresh produce, honey, rice and more. There are also food and drink trucks for hearty appetites. My kids and I bike to the market and spend an hour or so tasting the samples. We never walk away empty-handed, usually buying more than enough to fill our bike baskets. A lot of the produce is also organic. This time of year, you will find delicious mushroom, pumpkins and sweet potatoes try these recipes for pumpkin and sweet potatoes. Enjoy the fresh season harvest.Check out our one day itinerary for Aoyama, Shibuya, Harajuku area for other fun things to do
Address: 5-53-70 Jingue Mae, Shibuya, Tokyo
Open: Every weekend Saturday & Sunday 10:00 – 16:00
Access: 5 min walk from Omotesando station or 7 min walk from Shibuya station
Website: http://farmersmarkets.jp (in Japanese only)
Toilets: No toilets
Child friendly: Stroller friendly, lots of samples for kids to nibble, also wheelchair friendly
3. Ebisu Garden Place March Market (Ebisu, Tokyo)
Held every Sunday with 20-40 vendors attending. You can pick-up local fruits and veggies.
Address: Ebisu Garden Place open space, 4-20 Ebisu, Shibuya, Tokyo
Open: Every Sunday of each month, 11:00 – 17:00
Access: 5 min walk from Ebisu station on the Hiroo and Yamanote lines
Website: https://www.nkbmarche.jp/marche/yebisu-marche/ (in Japanese only)
Toilets: No toilets
Child friendly: Stroller friendly, lots of samples for kids to nibble, also wheelchair friendly
4. Kachidoki Farmers Market (Kachidoki, Tokyo)
Fun Farmers market that feels really intimate and local. Everything you need in your fridge available for sale with a fun family environment.
Address: 1-9-8 Kachidoki, Chuo-ku, Tokyo（中央区勝どき1-9-8）(google map)
Open: Once a month- usually the second weekend of the month Sat/Sun; October – March 10:00 -16:00, April – September 10:00 – 17:00
Access: 1 min walk from exits A4a and A4b at Kachidoki Station on the Oedo Line
Website: http://timealive.jp/marche/
5. Farmers Market (Setagaya City, Tokyo)
This Farmers market is a JA (Japan Agricultural) center. Most of the produce comes from western Tokyo farmers. Many of the “farmers” are elderly who have 3 meter x 3 meter plots and grow as a hobby. The produce is very popular and sells out quickly so we recommend you go early. There is also a cafe on the 2nd floor so you can enjoy after shopping.
Open: Closed Thursday; Open 10:00 – 18:00
Access: Not very close to any station, Take bus 06 from Futatamagawa station to Yoshizawa bus stop then walk 3 mins. There is local paid parking near buy if driving.
Tokyo Farmers Market
*****************
Brighten up your Inbox with the Best Living Japan newsletter and never miss any great info. It is easy to sign-up. Just click here, and enter your email.When we need organic vegetables right away and can’t wait a week for the next delivery (or the next Farmer`s Market) I head to the closest organic shops in Tokyo. Here are my favorite with online options:
1) Precce & Tokyu Stores have a small organic section. Look for the JAS organic sign above.
Precce Website: http://shop.tokyu-bell.jp/tokyu-store/app/common/index (in Japanese)
Tokyu Website: http://www.tokyu-bell.jp/ (in Japanese)
Locations: Tokyo and surrounding areas
2) Oisix
Website: http://www.oisix.com (in Japanese)
Locations: Futakotamagawa Rise – B1 level, Kichijoji – B1 in the Atre Building, Ebisu Mitsukoshi, Nakameguro Tokyu Store, Meguro Precce Store, Sangenjaya Tokyu Store, etc. Full list here.
3) Natural House
Website: http://www.naturalhouse.co.jp (in Japanese)
Locations: Aoyama, Meguro Atre, Shimokitazawa, Yurakucho Itocia, Ikebukuro Tobu Store, Futakotamagawa Rise, etc. Full list here.
4) Crayon House All in one shop (veggies, restaurant, cosmetics, books & toys).
Website: https://www.crayonhouse.co.jp/shop/default.aspx
Location: Omotesando
5) F&F 自然食品の店
Website: http://www.shizensyoku-ff.com (in Japanese)
Locations: Shibuya, Jiyugaoka, Musashikoyama, Takashimaya Tamagawa, Shinjuku`s Keio Dept Store, etc. Full list here.
If you want to have home delivery for local produce, here are our recommend Japan grocery home delivery services.
Buying Organic Foods Online in Japan
Buying Organic Foods Online in Japan is much easier than finding off-line. We have included our favorite online and delivery stores for finding great quality organic veggies and fruits, meat and also more general pantry items. Try a few of the services below to find your favorite!
Buying Organic Foods Online in Japan
SuperOrganic Foods (SOF) – www.super-organic.jp – We love this fantastic company, which supplies produce of the highest organic standard in Japan. SOF provide weekly or fortnightly veggie boxes. They have a standard box where produce changes with the season, but what is great about SOF is that they give you the option to swap veggies and add extras if you would like. The boxes come in small, medium or large and they also sell organic brown rice, organic pork sausages and lovely organic, free-range eggs. They also communicate in English which is very helpful!
Best for: Veggies of the highest quality you can find in Japan adhering to “beyond organic” standards, plus their lovely eggs!
Bio Marche – www.biomarche.jp (give them a call and they can speak to you in English) – Bio Marche provides organic vegetables and fruits (including fresh organic blueberries), organic eggs, and great organic chickens. They can communicate in English and also offer options for weekly delivery of some items like organic bananas, organic milk and organic natto.
Best for: Their organic chicken wings are great for making bone broth. Online ordering is quick and easy using the catalog that they send to you.
Radish Bo-ya – www.radishbo-ya.co.jp/shop/ (Google translation helps with the online ordering) – Radish Bo-ya lists its fruits and vegetables as either organic or low-pesticide, and also has a small selection of allergen-free items. It also has organic strawberries which are difficult to come by in Japan! For an occasional allergen-free treat, we love the sweet potato paste or pumpkin donuts. A good source of quinoa miso, allergen-free okonomiyaki flour and even gnocchi made with rice flour and pumpkin. Radish Bo-ya has a selection of good quality meats; our favorite is the 100% grass-fed beef from Tasmania.
Best for: Allergen-free food, good quality meats and organic fruits
iherb – www.iherb.com – iHerb is a fantastic online resource for so many items. You can buy nuts and seeds (although some will not deliver to Japan), healthy raw snacks, supplements, beauty products and many more items. There are numerous organic options and you are able to click on photos to see the ingredients list of nearly all the products. Delivery is relatively quick and very cheap, free if you order over a certain amount. You will automatically get a 10% discount off your first purchase if you use this code RFL526 in checkout.
Best for: Organic nut butters, organic green powders and their dried organic herbs.
NewZee – www.newzee.jp/en/ – NewZee is a fantastic company providing 100% grass-fed beef and lamb from New Zealand. Their produce is free from pesticides, GMOs, antibiotics and hormones, and is BSE-free and halal. Their lamb shanks are great for making bone broth.
