#Japan #National Parks #Shinjuku #Day1 #Furifuru

Celebrate Unique Misfit Vegetables at the National Park Marche

On October 25th and 26th, 2025, a unique community event will take place at Shinjuku Gyoen, showcasing a variety of misfit vegetables from surrounding national parks. Hosted by Day1, which operates the food waste reduction website Furifuru, alongside Cocoon Lab and Daily Sports Advertising, this event aims to spotlight the beauty of Japan's national parks while promoting local producers and reducing food waste.

Background of the Event

Shinjuku Gyoen is not only a beloved spot for relaxation and tourism, but it also serves as a national park under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Environment. This expansive landscape garden offers a wonderful environment for visitors to enjoy natural beauty. With Japan celebrating October as Food Waste Reduction Month, this event aligns perfectly by focusing on bringing awareness to both the misfit produce that often goes unnoticed and the importance of local agriculture.

The National Parks Cafe: Under the Tree will collaborate with this marche to offer upcycling initiatives, enticing visitors to engage with culinary experiences rooted in sustainability. The focus will be on misfit vegetables — those that do not meet typical grocery standards due to various reasons, yet possess the same delicious flavors.

Understanding Misfit Vegetables

Misfit vegetables include those that are deemed unsuitable for sale due to their size, shape, or imperfections stemming from a bountiful harvest. However, consumers will find that these vegetables are just as flavorful as their conventionally perfect counterparts. This event aims to encourage attendees to embrace these uniquely shaped vegetables as a mark of their individuality and flavor.

Vegetables Featured at the Marche

Visitors can expect a delightful selection of misfit vegetables, including:

• - Onions
• - Potatoes
• - Shiitake mushrooms
• - Eggplants
• - Carrots
• - Lotus roots
• - Baked sweet potatoes
• - Mandarins
• - Cucumbers
• - Tomatoes
• - Pumpkins

(Note: Selection may vary based on climate and harvest times)

Highlights include:

• - Tomatoes: Sourced from Aso Kuju National Park, renowned for its biodiversity and clean water resources, these tomatoes boast exceptional taste due to their optimal growing conditions.
• - Carrots: Harvested from the Furano region adjacent to Daisetsuzan National Park, these carrots benefit from pristine snowmelt waters that enrich the soil.
• - Baked Sweet Potatoes: Grown in Yakushima and Tanegashima, this area is recognized for its unique landscapes and ancient cedar forests — contributing to the superb taste of these sweet potatoes.

Participating Areas and Regions

Featured misfit vegetables will originate from:

• - Hokkaido: Daisetsuzan National Park, Akan Mashu National Park, and Shikotsu-Toya National Park (onions, potatoes, carrots)
• - Kumamoto: Aso Kuju National Park (tomatoes, pumpkins, cucumbers)
• - Kumamoto: Unzen-Amakusa National Park (shiitake mushrooms, eggplants, lotus roots, mandarins)
• - Kagoshima: Yakushima National Park (baked sweet potatoes)

Event Details

• - Date: October 25 & 26, 2025
• - Time: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM (Ends when vegetables run out)
• - Location: National Parks Cafe: Under the Tree, inside Shinjuku Gyoen Information Center

To ensure a delightful experience, participants will also receive gifts encouraging the waste reduction movement from Boso Yushi Co., making it a fun, engaging day rooted in the theme of sustainability (while supplies last).

Event Sponsors: Cocoon Lab, Day1, Daily Sports Advertising
Collaborating Company: Boso Yushi Co.

About Day1

Founded in July 2017 and based in Ueno, Tokyo, Day1's mission is to raise awareness about food waste by providing misfit vegetables and fruits for free through their platform, Furifuru, while hosting on-ground initiatives that reflect the commitment to sustainability. With over 110,000 members as of September 2025, Day1 strives to foster a sustainable society by bridging the gap between local agriculture and the community.

For more information, visit Furifuru's official site.