The One about the Farmer's Market at United Nations University (UNU) in Shibuya - Part 1

I’m often asked is if there is a place to purchase fresh vegetables and you can easily find a market in many areas around Tokyo. But if you want really awesome vegetables and fruit, but also baked goods and more, you definitely want to give the Farmer’s Market at United Nations University (UNU) in Shibuya a try.

I tend to visit farmer’s markets and I’m always impressed to see the products that locals are selling, but also the organization and layout (especially entertainment) for each city. So, for me, the experience of going to a farmer’s market in Tokyo was something I had in my bucket list!

Every Saturday and Sunday (from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.), Shibuya (near the Aoyama area right by Omotesando Station) is the host to one of Tokyo’s longest running farmer’s markets which brings out hundreds of people.

At first I thought it was primarily local farmers, bakers and florists but the more I talked to each person running in the stall, many farmers travel far just to sell their vegetables, eggs, fruit in Tokyo and also to help promote their farm, business or company.

I talked to a strawberry farmer from Niigata, an egg farmer from Shizuoka, another from Iwate… there are farmers that really travel a far distance and I was impressed of their determination but also their products.

The prices are already low and while in the United States, you see people trying to barter the prices and get them down with vendors. I did not see that in Tokyo (I don’t think it’s a practice that happens at this farmers market). It’s a farmers market people, not a flea market!

But it’s one thing you will notice at this farmer’s market in Tokyo, the prices are cheaper than a supermarket! It’s already a bargain!

You’ll find a lot of organic tea, organic herbs and spices, organic honey, organic coffee beans, organic ketchup, organic peanut butter and organic soap sellers at the farmers market.