Why you should visit United Nations University Farmers Market.
The United Nations University Farmers Market is Tokyo’s answer to the global slow food movement, a weekly celebration of sustainability, craftsmanship, and sensory pleasure. Every Saturday and Sunday, this open-air market transforms the forecourt of the UN University building in Aoyama into a vibrant mosaic of color and flavor. Local farmers, coffee roasters, and artisans converge here, offering everything from organic produce to handcrafted honey, seasonal flowers, and artisan bread.
What makes it irresistible is the atmosphere, half marketplace, half social ritual, where locals, expats, and travelers gather beneath the glass façade to rediscover the simple joy of good food and human connection. There’s an intimacy to it, a grounding energy amid Tokyo’s metropolitan tempo, like a modern echo of Japan’s Edo-era marketplaces.
What you didn’t know about United Nations University Farmers Market.
What you might not know is that this market was one of the first in Tokyo to champion direct farmer-to-consumer exchange, long before sustainability became fashionable. Many of its regular vendors come from distant prefectures, bringing rural flavors into the heart of the city.
Each stall tells a story, of family farms, generational craftsmanship, and a philosophy of respect for the land. Even the setting plays its part: the UN University’s minimalist architecture acts as a serene backdrop, emphasizing the human and ecological scale of the market. It’s Tokyo’s quiet manifesto on what progress should look like, rooted, balanced, and beautifully communal.
How to fold United Nations University Farmers Market into your trip.
To weave the UN University Farmers Market into your Tokyo journey, aim for a relaxed Saturday morning. Arrive early enough to enjoy the first batch of fresh pastries, then stroll between stands with a coffee from one of the city’s micro-roasters.
Pair your visit with a stop at the nearby Omotesando or Aoyama neighborhoods, perfect for design lovers and fashion aficionados. End your morning with brunch at one of the café terraces overlooking the market, where you can savor your finds while watching Tokyo’s most stylish locals drift by.
Hear it from the Foresyte community.
Some districts shout, Aoyama whispers in perfectly tailored tones. One minute it’s sleek boutiques, the next it’s hidden cafés that feel like secret members-only clubs.
Where meaningful travel begins.
Start your journey with Foresyte, where the planning is part of the magic.
Discover the experiences that matter most.
