Farmer sells her food for pennies in a trendy Tokyo district to help "young people walking around hungry."

Tokyo — In a city of wealth, comfort and fine food, there's a quiet alley in Japan's capital where passersby often do a double-take. Sharing space with chic cafes and world-class bars, the tiny fruit and vegetable stand seems to have been teleported from a country road far away.

Weather-beaten wood tables groan under stacks of carrots, potatoes, mandarin oranges and other fresh farm produce. But what makes the stall even more remarkable in the heart of Tokyo is that payment is on the honor system — customers just toss coins into an old mailbox — and most of the items on offer are priced at 100 yen, or about 70 cents, in a neighborhood where fresh food usually goes for much, much more.

Retirees stop by in the mornings, but they are not the target demographic. A handwritten mission statement on the stall is addressed: "Dear young people."