Major cities in Japan are experimenting with their own version of the Paris Marche, featuring direct sales of farm-fresh products on weekends at markets where farmers and city folk meet face to face.

The Marche Japon project debuted in September in nine cities, including Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya and Osaka, supported by a subsidy from the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry.

The markets offer products developed and grown by farmers using organic methods.