Setouchi Lemon

Hiroshima is known as a leading producer of domestic lemons, and the fruit grown on the Seto Inland Sea islands offers a bright fragrance and gentle acidity. Because they can be used skin and all with peace of mind, they appear in dishes, sweets, and drinks alike. Setouchi lemon is a signature citrus that colors the regions food culture.

Highlights

Lemon dishes are wonderfully varied, going beyond a wedge beside fried food to lemon hot pot and lemon laced pasta. In the sweets world, lemon cakes, lemonade, and gelato fill shelves with refreshing aroma. Gift shops line up many lemon products, making browsing a pleasure.

Enjoying the Seasons

Lemons are harvested from autumn into spring, and in winter the islands glow with their ripe yellow fruit. A crisp lemon drink is sublime in hot summer, while a warm lemon hot pot heats the body in winter. Tasting them differently by season is part of the Setouchi lemons charm.

Access and Basic Information

Lemon groves spread across the Seto Inland Sea islands, with active cultivation along the Shimanami Kaido and around Kure and Onomichi. Lemon products are also sold in gift shops in central Hiroshima and on Miyajima, welcome as travel souvenirs. Touring the groves by car or bicycle across the islands is highly recommended.

A Quick Tip

Because these domestic lemons can be enjoyed peel and all, dishes and sweets that use the whole fruit show off their appeal best. Lemon cakes and lemon jam keep well and make popular gifts. Just one squeeze over a dish turns an ordinary flavor refreshingly bright.