A mashup of “food” and “people,” Foop is a hydroponic agriculture kit, meaning it allows you to grow plants not in soil, but in water.

Among the vegetables that the designers promise can be grown are lettuce, parsley, arugula, basil and shiso, all of which you raise from seeds but will develop more quickly than non-hydroponic raised plants.

Designed to be used indoors, the unit’s wooden housing is produced by craftspeople from Hida in Gifu Prefecture, one of Japan’s most famous woodworking regions.

In the interest of preserving its elegant appearance, you won’t find any buttons on the casing. There's a small display screen for simple icons, but detailed information about the temperature, humidity, and light and water levels of your self-contained garden are sent to your smartphone. Using the Foop app, you can also make adjustments to the growing area’s environmental conditions.

The app will send you a reminder when your veggies are ready to be eaten, but in the meantime you can check on their progress by peering through the clear acrylic cover.

Once it’s time to harvest your crops, simply slide open the cover, slide out the tray, and take as much as you plan to eat right then and there.

Preorders have begun for the product, which is priced at ¥38,800 (US$360) and can be ordered here. However, quantities for the initial batch, set to ship in September 2016, are limited to just 100 units, so don’t delay if you’re in the mood for some futuristic farm-fresh vegetables!

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