Japan's 1.036 million core farmers now average 67.7 years old, and almost 7 in 10 are 65 or older. Here is what the 2025 census shows happens when a whole country's farmers retire at once, the villages that used farm stays to come back, and what it means for your farm if you have no successor.

We checked 196 farms across Japan and ranked the best 50 on a 100-point scorecard, with the latest prices we could confirm, a month-by-month fruit-picking calendar, maps, the famous names that missed the cut, and seven lessons for farmers who want visitor income.