Why naikai, anyway?

You may be wondering... where did the name 'naikai' come from?

Well, here's the answer to your burning question: it means inland sea!  Looking at a map of Japan, you can see between the big island (Honshu) and the southeastern island (Shikoku) is a body of water that is often labeled Seto Inland Sea, or Seto Naikai.  Some of the major cities that border Seto Naikai include Osaka, Kobe, Hiroshima, Okayama, Matsuyama, Imabari, Kitakyushu, Beppu, and Takamatsu.  

Our founder, Erin, went to school in Osaka, worked in Hiroshima and Matsuyama, and has been to every city at least once listed above.  The Seto Inland Sea is beautiful!  Many of these areas are somewhat rural, and are famous for many hot springs.  Some of the best products from the region include Setouchi lemon and mikan (a type of orange), delicious oysters, fluffy Imabari towels, beautiful pottery, and driftwood sculptures, to name just a few.  

Our love for the Seto Inland Sea area knows no bounds.  It undoubtedly has the best food and the best views in all of Japan.