Suooshima Island is known as the “Hawaii of the Seto Inland Sea” not only because of its rows of palm trees swaying in the sea breezes!

 
During the Meiji Period, many of the island’s inhabitants immigrated to Hawaii through government sponsored immigration programs. In, for example, establishing sister relations with Kauai Island in 1963, Suooshima Island has a deep relationship with Hawaii.

With a diameter of 8 kilometers and a population of 250, Ukishima Island (one of the Suooshima Islands) is very cute and small, and is known as a production area for Japanese anchovies, the special characteristics of which is that their meat is soft and they lack the typical oily smell and bitterness of regular anchovies.

Made by pickling anchovies in olive and rapeseed oil, these are jars of handmade oil sardines.

Compared with the average oil sardine, you can see how big their bellies are! And when you take a bite, the texture of the meat is just so good, and the firm flesh packed with flavor.

In addition to the plain type sardines, we also recommend them with dried tomatoes.

 

As the sardines with dried tomatoes can be used as an ingredient when making pasta for example, they're really handy.

You can also make a pepperoncino style pasta dish only using oil sardines – it makes you feel like you've just become a good chef!

And paired with wine, they can also be enjoyed as canapés.

Try topping the sardines with a slice of Seto Inland Sea lemon – The lemon's moderate sourness controls the oiliness and brings out the flavor of the sardines. Superb!

 

The sardines are made using ingredients from the beautiful Seto Inland Sea without any chemicals, colorings or additives. You can be assured of their quality and send them as gifts, too!

Another of their charms is that they're good for your health, and are apparently great at preventing aging in cells.

We recommend this product as a delicacy from the Seto Inland Sea for that important someone!

Products provided by: Oisea Foods

In cooperation with Nippon Access Inc.

Setouchi Brand products can be purchased from souvenir corners at roadside stations, airports and other places in the Setouchi area.

Setouchi Brand Relationship:
http://www.setouchiweb.jp/relationship/index.html (Japanese)
 

Setouchi Finder Photo-writers: Makoto Esaki & Yoko Suganami (Rainbow Sake Co., Ltd.)