Abstract: Community farms in Japan have developed in a different context than their counterparts in the
West. Aging farmers and an increase in fallow farmland have become social problems in Japan;
to combat these, beginning in the 1960s, local governments leased farmland from farmers and a
system was devised whereby non-farmers could engage in agricultural activities. In the present
study, a questionnaire survey was administered to users of experiential farms situated in urban
parks with the goal of clarifying the awareness and needs of users. Moreover, while taking into
account differences in attributes associated with users of typical allotment gardens in Japan as
well as their preferences, we examined future initiatives in which experiential farms should
consider engaging. As a result of the study, we found that components related to "the atmosphere
of the park/facilities" and "basic setup of the rental farmland" were highlighted as latent
elements affecting users' degree of satisfaction. Given the findings that, amongst factors related
to "the atmosphere of the park/facilities", evaluations of "the overall visual aspects of the park"
and "care of the fields" affected satisfaction, the consolidation of cultivars and a reduction in the
number of untended plots are needed to create a more appealing visual presentation. Moreover,
amongst factors related to the "basic setup of the rental farmland," it was found that "cultivar
types" and "usage fees" affected satisfaction, so determining how to set the price for seeds,
starts, and other related items is critical, while also meeting user expectations. |