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    • Spring
      • video

        Finding the Flow from Kansai to Kochi

        Shikoku’s many mountains, valleys and proximity to the ocean has made it a hidden gem for rafting, kayaking and canyoning enthusiasts willing to take a step or two further from the Golden Route of Kyoto and Osaka.

        Solace and Giant Salamanders in Akiota

        Just beyond Hiroshima City is a tranquil outdoor destination home to some of Japan's last remaining oosanshouo, the elusive giant salamander.
        Kyoto Oni Trail Outdoor Japanvideo

        The Oni Trail: Hiking Coastal Kyoto

        The mystical oni is prevalent in Japanese children’s stories, usually as a way to scare kids straight. Adventure Travel Kyoto is shedding a new light on this folklore and developing a new hiking route in the countryside of Kyoto.
    • Summer
      • the nomad pasche family

        The World is Our Playground

        The Pasche family has been cycling and living out of a tent in remote corners of the planet for the past 13 years on four continents spanning 50 countries.
        adventure travel world summit in hokkaido

        Adventure Travel World Summit in Hokkaido

        The ATTA will host their first Adventure Travel World Summit in Asia in Hokkaido, Japan. We caught up with ATTA Director Shannon Stowell to find out more about the adventure travel industry and how it continues to grow and evolve.
        mead brewing in japan

        The Sweet Secrets of Brewing Mead

        Wander into the world of mead brewing and find yourself immersed in a fascinating journey spanning centuries and continents.
        the knights in white lycra

        The Knights in White Lycra

        Each year a group of cyclists head to the deep north towards Tohoku’s vast rice fields and coastal trails to help transform the lives of neglected children.
        sea to table yamagata

        Sea to Table in Yamagata

        An unforgettable way to intimately explore the Shonai Region in Yamagata is a culinary experience bringing bounty of the sea straight to your table.
    • Autumn
      • Pow Bar Founder Megumi Scott

        Beyond the Brand: Pow Bar

        An interview with Megumi Scott, the founder of Niseko brand Pow Bar.
        Churamura Okinawa Sea Turtle Marine Conservation

        Churamura: Footprints in the Sand

        Churamura, an NPO in Okinawa, work to conserve marine life and protect endangered sea turtles in Japan's southernmost prefecture.
        Kawazu

        Fall in Love with Kawazu

        Enjoy waterfall hikes and hot springs, beautiful beaches and delicious seafood in Kawazu on the western coast of Izu Peninsula.
    • Winter
    • Near Tokyo
      • getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • Near Kyoto
      • video

        Finding the Flow from Kansai to Kochi

        Shikoku’s many mountains, valleys and proximity to the ocean has made it a hidden gem for rafting, kayaking and canyoning enthusiasts willing to take a step or two further from the Golden Route of Kyoto and Osaka.
    • All Regions
    • Article Map
    • Ocean and Beach
      • getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • River and Lake
      • getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • Mountain and Land
    • Sky
      • getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • Snow and Ice
      • climbing mt. fuji off season

        Mt. Fuji: The Path Less Traveled

        Fuji-san is the most climbed mountain in the world. If you are in good shape, there is a way to avoid the traffic for a more peaceful Mt. Fuji experience during the off-season.
    • Travel
      • the nomad pasche family

        The World is Our Playground

        The Pasche family has been cycling and living out of a tent in remote corners of the planet for the past 13 years on four continents spanning 50 countries.
        adventure travel world summit in hokkaido

        Adventure Travel World Summit in Hokkaido

        The ATTA will host their first Adventure Travel World Summit in Asia in Hokkaido, Japan. We caught up with ATTA Director Shannon Stowell to find out more about the adventure travel industry and how it continues to grow and evolve.
        getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
        maota sustainable fashion

        Weaving Stories with Maota

        Maota is a small-scale clothing line working with local craftsmen in the countryside of Aichi and Gifu prefectures. While their focus is on small, local and “slow” fashion, they are moving fast toward some big goals.
        the knights in white lycra

        The Knights in White Lycra

        Each year a group of cyclists head to the deep north towards Tohoku’s vast rice fields and coastal trails to help transform the lives of neglected children.
    • Food and Drinks
      • the nomad pasche family

        The World is Our Playground

        The Pasche family has been cycling and living out of a tent in remote corners of the planet for the past 13 years on four continents spanning 50 countries.
        adventure travel world summit in hokkaido

        Adventure Travel World Summit in Hokkaido

        The ATTA will host their first Adventure Travel World Summit in Asia in Hokkaido, Japan. We caught up with ATTA Director Shannon Stowell to find out more about the adventure travel industry and how it continues to grow and evolve.
        getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
        maota sustainable fashion

        Weaving Stories with Maota

        Maota is a small-scale clothing line working with local craftsmen in the countryside of Aichi and Gifu prefectures. While their focus is on small, local and “slow” fashion, they are moving fast toward some big goals.
        the knights in white lycra

        The Knights in White Lycra

        Each year a group of cyclists head to the deep north towards Tohoku’s vast rice fields and coastal trails to help transform the lives of neglected children.
    • Races and Events
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        2023 Summer Music Festivals

        Get into the groove this green season while enjoying the great outdoors with family and friends.
        Summer Events Fireworks Festivals in Japan

        2023 Fireworks Festivals in Japan

        Enjoy these fireworks festivals held throughout Japan this summer and autumn.

Earth Day Market

Started with six vendors in 2006, the Earth Day Market in Tokyo’s Yoyogi Park was intended as a place to use Earth Day Money (an alternative currency) and to help organic farmers find buyers. Today, there are 50-60 regular sellers that include growers, producers and tasty food purveyors, with another 60 or so rotating in seasonally.

Tables groan with produce, tea, jams, breads and handicrafts, mostly from the Tokyo and Chiba regions, but with some also from Shizouka, Nagano, Yamagata, Iwate and even Kobe. Customers can find a greater selection of organic and fair-trade produce and products here than almost anywhere else. Hiroshi Tomiyama, manager of the market and one of its original founders, conducted an informal census of products over the course of a year.

In June, when the growing season is running nearly at its peak, he found 180 kinds of fruits, vegetables, grains and beans on offer. Even during slow times of the year, 103 varieties can be found to satisfy even the heartiest of appetites. Tomohiro and Nagisa Minowa bring their duck-managed organic rice—white, brown and kochi varieties regularly available—along with suntan (charcoaled rice hulls) that gardeners adore. Masaru Kurosawa, a natural farmer from Ibaraki, brings his vast selection of grains, including six kinds of rice, soba (buckwheat), wheat, along with fresh ground flours and scrumptious vegetables.

Miyamotoyama Farm brings farm-fresh eggs, homemade mochi and miso that are some of the best to be had. Their homemade onigiri (rice balls) are no slouch, either. Other earth-friendly vendors are on hand to share their knowledge and wares. Yoshio Atsuo from Saitama offers sachets of cedar shavings for protecting winter wear, as well as rounds of cedar for dunking in the bath.

“Just let it soak in the hot water and then soak yourself,” he advises, adding that it should last for roughly a year. Yoshio Fujikura’s smile is the first draw to his table of bamboo, wood and rattan products. His team of trained craftsmen creates everything from graters to shopping baskets to cutting boards.

True to their first objectives, Tomiyama and the Earth Day Market organizers maintain that the ability to offer a wide variety of produce and products requires supporting new organic growers. Nearly all vendors represent family-run operations that work on a small scale. Many of the farmers are literally in their first year. Some are transitioning or, like orchardist Hiroto Matsafuji, have transitioned from other jobs to farming. All are in need of customers. Most of the growers and producers who come to the market have been in the trade for less than 10 years.

“The first years of farming can be very unstable. By coming here, the farmer can begin establishing a customer base that will help them become successful,” said Tomiyama. He added that supporting organic farming also means supporting the diverse wildlife on, and surrounding, those farms, as well as ensuring a secure food future for everyone.

Earth Day Market – Tokyo
Fourth Sunday of every month
Yoyogi Park Elms
10 a.m to 4 p.m. (Rain or shine)
*Check the website before heading out in case of the occasional change in schedule.

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