Thin-skinned island lemons from the Seto Inland Sea, used across Hiroshima in ale, sours, sauces, cakes and the citrus salt served beside grilled oysters and beef.
Where to eat it: 1 restaurant across 1 city.
Lemon growing took hold on the islands of the Seto Inland Sea because the climate is mild, the rainfall is low and the terraced slopes drain fast. Hiroshima prefecture became the leading domestic producer, and the fruit is now a regional identity marker rather than just an ingredient: it appears in craft beer at Sessions Brewery, in momiji manju fillings on Miyajima, and in the citrus salt that comes with grilled oysters. Because the peel is eaten as often as the juice, unwaxed island fruit is sold at a premium.
Tip from the editors. Steep the zest off the heat rather than boiling it. Boiled peel turns the syrup bitter within a couple of minutes.
Sessions Brewery brews in 100 to 150 litre batches at Tokaichimachi and serves them in its own Hiroshima beer hall with house tacos and smoked snacks.
Tip: The brewery leans on local flavours with the Oyster City Stout and the Hiroshima Lemon Ale, both worth asking after by name.
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