Ginza Honeybee Project celebrates 20th anniversary, becoming a role model for urban beekeeping

This year marks the 20th anniversary of an initiative to raise bees on the rooftops of buildings in Ginza, Tokyo, with the aim of coexisting with nature and the city. The annual amount of honey collected has increased from the original 150 kg to approximately 2.8 tons. The activity is spreading across the country as a role model for urban beekeeping, and the person in charge says, ``We hope it will help people think about the urban environment.''

The initiative began in March 2006, when volunteers working in Ginza installed three birdhouses on the roof of an 11-story building in Ginza 3-chome, Chuo Ward. Titled the ``Ginza Honeybee Project,'' the project currently has about 50 hives installed on the rooftops of buildings in Ginza and Otemachi, raising 500,000 to 600,000 bees.

Project members harvest the honey brought by these bees from April to the end of July. Approximately 2.8 tons of honey was harvested last year, some of which is sold online and used at local department stores and restaurants.

Beekeeping efforts in urban centers are spreading across the country. Since 2010, the NPO Sapporo Honeybee Project (Sapporo City) has been installing beehives on the roofs of buildings in the city for the purpose of town development and regional revitalization. It all started when I learned about Ginza's efforts from an article on the internet.

Before starting their activities, they received advice on beekeeping know-how from members of the Ginza Honey Bee Project. Hideharu Sakai (51), chairman of the NPO, commented, ``Through the bees, we were able to create an interaction on the rooftop, which was not a place where people gathered.''

Urban beekeeping is carried out not only on the rooftops of buildings, but also on the rooftops and grounds of Nagoya City Hall, Hagi/Iwami Airport in Masuda City, Shimane Prefecture, and Meikai University (Urayasu City, Chiba Prefecture). Some of the honey collected on the rooftop of Kiyose City Hall in Tokyo is given away as a return gift for hometown tax donations.

The Ginza Honey Bee Project has been providing environmental education at local elementary schools since its inception, and has held apiary tours and lectures on the theme of coexistence between cities and nature. Vice-chairman Atsuo Tanaka (68) is enthusiastic, saying, ``We hope to expand our efforts around the world so that we can work together to think about issues surrounding the urban environment.''