Analysis of the Present Condition of an Allotment Garden in Japan

Abstract

In Japan, allotment gardens for use by the public have been developed as a means of revitalizing unused agricultural land. Compared with allotment gardens in Europe, their significance in urban planning or welfare services is not clear. For the development of allotment gardens in Japan, a stable supply of agricultural land and a steady demand from the public are essential. This paper analyzes the present condition of Japanese allotment gardens from the viewpoint of the management of such gardens and the needs of their users, with special reference to the Minuma Fureai Garden in Kawaguchi City, Saitama prefecture. The results can be summarized as follows:1) The management of the Minuma Fureai Garden is entrusted to an agricultural cooperative, but all of the expenses for its establishment are paid for by local government. The operation cost exceeds the annual income from user's fees (15, 000 Yen per person per year), and subsidies from the municipality make up 18% of the total income.2) This allotment garden is located in the southern part of the Minuma paddy field, where the transformation of agricultural land is prohibited by law in order to maintain its function as a reservoir to mitigate flooding. This regulation for land use is very important, for it keeps the rent very low.3) A recent deregulation of this rule concerning land use could threaten the existence of the allotment garden. However, according to cost-benefit analysis, the benefits exceed the costs if the external economies of the allotment garden are evaluated in monetary terms. It is necessary to discuss what type of government intervention should take place and the possible introduction of a beneficiary payment system in the future.4) According to a questionnaire survey of the users of the Minuma Fureai Garden, 70% of the users are over 50 years old. It is believed that people who have had agricultural experience tend to use the allotment garden more frequently. However, half of the users had no previous agricultural experience.5) Users were divided into three categories based on their motivation; a communication-oriented group, a family-leisure group, and an individual hobby group.6) Users who re-applied to use the allotment garden again after the one-year contract expired equal 60% of the whole. However, this figure varies depending on the distance from place of residence to the allotment garden.7) Most of the users hope to continue to use the same plot for many years and this contributes to the maintenance of the agricultural land. There are also strong demands for the improvement of facilities such as providing a rest room in the allotment garden. It is very important to satisfy these demands in order to continue to attract the public to use the allotment gardens in the future.