Under the autumn sky, the "Marunouchi Farm" appeared in the city center.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries held the event "Japan Harvest 2016 Marunouchi Farm: Festival of Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries" on November 5th and 6th in the Marunouchi area of Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. (Special Cooperation: Mitsubishi Estate Group, Rigare, Ecotteria, Mitsubishi Corporation; Sponsors: Animal Crossing: New Leaf amiibo+, Nichirei, Japan Soy Sauce Association, Japan Sauce Manufacturers Association) in the Marunouchi area of Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo.

The event was held as part of the "Festival of Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries," with the concepts of "Deepening the Bond Between Consumers and Producers" and "Deepening the Bond Between Japan and the World." Now in its fifth year, this year's theme was "Marunouchi Farm," creating a space in the Marunouchi area where families could learn about and enjoy Japanese agriculture, agricultural, forestry, and fishery products, and food culture.

■ Event

The main venue, Marunouchi Naka-dori, featured a total of 40 booths and corners across four zones, along with food and rest areas.

The "Farm Experience Field" recreated a rural scene with rice drying on bamboo racks and scarecrows. Popular corners included vegetable harvesting, milking real cows, and bottle-feeding calves. Companies participating in the "Agricultural Women Project" also exhibited and sold products at their booths. The "Fountain of Japanese Food" offered tastings of dashi and miso, the foundations of Japanese cuisine, along with sales of original foods created by high school students nationwide. Inbound tourists also stopped to show keen interest. The "Forest Overflowing with Regional Products" featured tastings and sales of award-winning items from the "Food Action Nippon Award 2016 " and regional specialties from various areas. The "Market Where Agricultural Products Gather" included a corner where JA sold freshly harvested produce and processed goods shipped directly from production areas.

■ Stage

On the 5th, a "Special Stage" event was held in the first-floor space of the Marunouchi Building. Guests included Rio Olympic judo gold medalist Baker Masaaki, Chef Jin Yamanoe of "Ginza Yamanoe Edo Chuka," and Chef Yoshinaga Jinbo of "Italian Restaurant Hatake Aoyama," who engaged in a discussion about Japanese cuisine.

Chef Jin Yamanoe of "Ginza Yamanobe Edo Chuka," and Chef Yoshinaga Jinbo of "Italian Restaurant Hatake Aoyama," who engaged in a discussion about Japanese cuisine.

At the outset, Katsuo Yagura, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, stated, "I am grateful that such a food event can be held in the heart of the city. Japanese cuisine is gaining increasing attention, partly due to recent health trends, with approximately 89,000 Japanese restaurants overseas. Through this event, we aim to communicate the excellence of Japanese food both domestically and internationally."

Ayaka Miura, a "female farmer" growing tomatoes, discussed communication between producers and consumers, the generational shift from aging farmers to younger people, and emphasized the importance of the female farmer's perspective. Both chefs shared insights unique to their profession, noting that seeing the faces of producers creates strong bonds and that understanding their hardships enriches their cooking.