Mori Building Co., Ltd., has been selected as a Marche Operator by Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF). This is a part of the promotional operations of the temporary direct-sale system, which is an urgent promotion in fiscal 2009 of local production for local consumption and consumption of farm-fresh products being conducted by the General Food Policy Bureau of MAFF. Mori Building Co., Ltd., will work on the operation of "Marche (fresh food market)" at areas within the downtown Tokyo Hills area, mainly ARK Hills, as a part of MAFF's "Marche Japon Project".
With the Karajan Plaza in ARK Hills as its main venue, the Hills Marche will be held every Saturday starting on September 26, 2009. At the Marche, fresh and specially selected foods will be sold, such as farm-fresh products, seasonal fruits and vegetables, freshly baked bread, wines, processed products, seasonings, etc. The Marche will provide visitors with an enjoyable weekend as it will also have such other events as offering cooking tips and cooking classes using food ingredients sold at the Marche or those selected by chefs who own restaurants in downtown Tokyo Hills.
The Marche is a place where urban people and farmers can meet each other, and it offers the best opportunity for urban people to nurture "face-to-face" communications with their neighbors.
Aiming to enhance the attractiveness of urban areas, Mori Building Co., Ltd., attempts to develop a unique Marche in the downtown Tokyo Hills area by working effectively with communities and groups, which we have worked together with before, and networks related to greenery. Moreover, with the maximum use of the attractiveness and potentiality of the district, which has international residental housing complexes in such areas as Akasaka, Azabu, and Roppongi, we will operate the urban Hills Marche as a town that is attractive and that delivers cultural aspects to visitors.
*As a part of our urban development activities, we, Mori Building Co., Ltd., have been enthusiastically working on activities that connect the city, rural culture, urban lives, and nature (Please refer to the next page for further details).
Details of the Hills Marche
Starting date : September 26, 2009 (Sat.) and every following Sat. * closed on Jan. 2 and Feb. 20, 2010
Business hours : 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Venue : ARK Karajan Plaza in ARK Hills
ARK Hills Cherryblossum festivals 
Roppongi Hills Flower Market
Mori Building's Urban Redevelopment
At the urban redevelopment by Mori Building Co., Ltd, importance is placed not only on producing places and an environment with high quality but also carefully developing a city together with the people who live and work there and its visitors. We have various ideas, experiences, and passion as well as pay attention to precise details to maintain the city as a fresh and attractive place. By having the responsibility of continuously producing new urban lifestyles, we are enthusiastically working on activities to enhance the connection between towns and humans, humans and other humans, humans and companies, cities and rural culture, and urban life and nature.
[ Ibaraki-ichi (market) ]
ARK Hills and Roppongi Hills hold a weekly morning market called "Ibaraki-ichi (market)." The market provides fresh fruits and vegetables harvested on the previous day by partner farmers near Shizu Hills Country Club, which is operated by Shishido International Golf Club, a group company of Mori Building Co., Ltd. Held in Roppongi Hills every Saturday since November 2003 and at ARK Hills every Wednesday since November 2006, the markets have been very popular among local residents. They also contribute to further develop local community harmony as residents in the Hills area participate in the market as sellers.
[ Tree Planting ]
With the theme of "local products for local consumption," Roppongi Hills arranges beds of flowers grown in Tokyo. Certain individuals in Tokyo, which, among domestic cities, has the seventh largest production of flowers in the nation, have traditional techniques in growing flowers, a tradition that has continued since the Edo period. By using these techniques, we have been working on a new activity called "local production for local consumption of plants," that is to produce, grow, and oversee the management and care of these flowers.
[ Gardening Club ]
The Hills Gardening Club is a residential community operated at ARK Hills and Roppongi Hills, with the purpose of allowing citizens to learn about various aspects of plants and gardening. The club aims to nurture urban greenery through gardening activities and revive the seasonal beauty in urban areas. The club currently has approximately 80 members and runs activities three times a month. On the flower beds along the walking path in Roppongi Hills Sakura-zaka, there are native Japanese plants and wild plants.
[ Activities on the Rooftop Gardens (rice paddies/vegetable gardens) ]
Through our enthusiastic urban greening activities, Mori Building Co., Ltd., attempts to provide the chance for families to be aware of the importance of the natural environment and food as well as opportunities to learn traditional rural and food culture. At the rice paddies on the roof of the Roppongi Hills Keyaki-zaka complex, opportunities have been offered to experience rice planting and traditional farmwork with the cooperation of the governments of Kyoto and the prefectures of Fukui, Mie, Akita, etc. At this vegetable garden, the participants have been experiencing all the processes in the growing of vegetables, from planting to harvesting, and enjoying eating the products they grew. The participants of the activities are staff and residents from Mori Building structures and local people.
What Is "Marche Japon Project"?
The Marche Japon Project has been launched by MAFF (the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) to support the direct sales of agricultural products in the metropolitan area. The project supports the budget for developing the direct sales (Marche) at temporary stalls, such as tents in a park. The operators of Marche must organize the venues and sellers of products
and hold the Marche event year-round.
It is expected that the Marche will help producers' business and create new urban cultures and pleasant places and will boost the producers' morale by arranging opportunities for them to make connections with the consumers in the urban area, with the ultimate theme of the revitalization of local communities.