SETODA LEMON
Explore lemons around the world, then discover the orchards, seasons and culinary possibilities of Setoda.
The terraces of Amalfi, a Sicilian winter, the dry light of California. Lemons differ from place to place: in aroma, in the thickness of the peel, in how people eat them. Now add one small island in Japan's Seto Inland Sea to that map. In Setoda, in the city of Onomichi, Hiroshima, growers have long raised lemons with the whole fruit in mind, peel included.
In season now · October
Open-field lemons flower in May, and picking starts in October. Harvested before they colour, these are green lemons. JA Hiroshima describes them as offering a fresh aroma and a clean acidity. Grate the zest over a finished dish, or squeeze a wedge into an aperitif: a bright, green scent for the start of autumn.910
Seasons are a guide based on JA Hiroshima material. Please ask us about current availability.
Updated 2026-10-05
See the season calendarFrom the world to Setoda
The Mediterranean, the Americas and beyond: regions, varieties and the food cultures around them.
World LemonsJapan grows roughly 10,000 tonnes of lemons a year, and nearly half of them ripen in Hiroshima.6
Lemons in JapanThe mild, dry islands of the Seto Inland Sea became Japan's lemon country.
Hiroshima's lemonsIkuchijima and Kōnejima: two islands of slopes, sea and light.14
Discover SetodaWhy Setoda
Not just the juice: zest, candied peel, sauces, a twist over a cocktail. A lemon you can choose for dishes that use the peel.
EvidenceJA Hiroshima describes Setoda Eco Lemon® as certified under Hiroshima Prefecture's special cultivation scheme, with no fungicide or wax treatment.1
For the kitchen: editors' suggestionFinish with a grating of zest. The aroma lives in the peel.
How to use the peel
Synthetic pesticides and chemical fertiliser are kept to half or less of usual local practice under a prefectural certification, alongside ongoing GAP practices.
EvidenceCertified as specially cultivated produce since 2008; 120 households take part in fiscal 2026.235
For the kitchen: editors' suggestion“Specially cultivated” is not the same as organic or pesticide-free. We can help you describe it accurately to guests.
Read about how they are grownThe same fruit is green and fragrant in autumn, then ripens to yellow and fills with juice from winter into spring. Choose by season.
EvidenceJA Hiroshima recommends green lemons for aroma and acidity, and yellow lemons for juice.10
For the kitchen: editors' suggestionGreen peel for autumn cocktails; yellow juice for winter pastry and sauces.
See the season calendarOpen fields from autumn to spring; greenhouses and cold storage in summer. Three methods bridge the months when Japanese lemons are usually hard to find.
EvidenceStored lemons are picked in January and February, wrapped one by one in freshness-preserving film and kept chilled until summer.1213
For the kitchen: editors' suggestionFor year-round menus, we can plan the seasonal changeovers with you.
See how they reach you
The growers' group has received the Emperor's Cup, Japan's top agricultural award. Restaurants in Ginza, Sendai and Fukuoka use Setoda lemons, and chefs travel to meet the growers.
EvidenceThe Emperor's Cup went to the Setoda Eco Lemon Group (horticulture category, 62nd Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Festival, fiscal 2023). Restaurant use confirmed by J-Catalyst on 5 October 2026.1924
For the kitchen: editors' suggestionAsk us about visiting the orchards or how to present the lemons to your guests.
See the restaurantsFood & drink
Sushi, seafood, Western classics, pastry, cocktails. A set of starting points, offered as suggestions from our editors.
Bring the aroma of the peel into your cooking.
A green fragrance for autumn.
From winter to spring, plenty of juice.
Editors' suggestion
Green for aroma; peel
Editors' suggestion
Green or yellow
Editors' suggestion
Yellow for juice
Editors' suggestion
Yellow for juice; peel
Editors' suggestion
Green for aroma; peel
Restaurants
Sushi counters, yōshoku restaurants, Japanese cuisine, bars and a hotel: thirteen venues are using Setoda lemons.
Journal, 5 October 2026
J-Catalyst brought members of Ginza's restaurant association to Setoda to pick lemons in the orchard and visit JA Hiroshima.25
Read the visit reportSources & evidence
The figures and descriptions on this site draw on JA Hiroshima's materials, national and prefectural statistics, and J-Catalyst's own reporting. The sources page shows which statement rests on which document.
Hiroshima's harvest (2023 crop)6
Hiroshima's share of Japan's harvest6
Setoda's harvest (2023 crop)7
Eco Lemon growers (fiscal 2026)3
J-Catalyst
J-Catalyst connects Japan's food and entertainment with the world. We bring JA Hiroshima's Setoda lemons to restaurants, bars, hotels and pastry shops together with the story of where they come from, and create occasions for chefs and growers to meet.
What J-Catalyst doesSETODA LEMON
Cooking, drinks, pastry or processing: tell us what you have in mind and when, and we will connect you with the growers' cooperative.
Hiroyoshi Numazaki
J-Catalyst / Higashi Nippon Broadcasting (khb)
Weekdays 10:00–17:00, Japan Standard Time
