Setoda Island

The town of Setoda, part of Hiroshima’s Ikuchijima Island, is a small town with a population of about 9,000, located almost at the midpoint of the Shimanami Kaido, a route that connects Onomichi City in Hiroshima Prefecture to Imabari City in Ehime Prefecture.
Hiroshima Prefecture became Japan’s top producer of lemons in the early 1950s, accounting for 50% of the nation's total production by the early 1960s. Even today, the prefecture boasts the country’s largest production volume with Ikuchijima Island’s Setoda Town being one of the most renowned production areas.

At a time when internationally imported lemons dominated the market, producers in Setoda teamed up and set out to cultivate their own lemons, and thus the Setoda Lemon brand was established! The island has a thriving processing industry that uses lemons to make drinks and sweets, and the Setoda Lemon is highly regarded by general consumers and chefs alike!

Many of the farmers in Setoda have their own lemon fields, so if you visit the island from autumn to winter, you can see bright yellow patches almost everywhere! In addition to the actual fruit, there are a number of lemon-themed sites scattered throughout the town. I myself am a huge lover of all things lemon, so this place seemed like a dream! I couldn’t wait to see and eat as many lemon treasures as possible!Read more