[dropcap size=small]I[/dropcap]f you are not a Japanophile, chances are you would not have heard of the Ehime Prefecture in southern Japan. Often overshadowed by more prominent cities such as Tokyo, Osaka and Hokkaido, it has recently stepped into the spotlight with the perfect strategy – using food to draw attention to itself.

The Ehime Regional Trade Promotion Association has set up its first permanent food showcase outside of Japan at Emporium Shokuhin in Marina Square. The speciality section is tucked between ramen restaurant Burosu Honten and the escalators in the emporium. At any one time, it will have more than 100 products from the prefecture, including seasonal specialities.

Among the products are juices and jellies made from Japanese citrus fruit such as mikan (Mandarin orange), dekopon (a sweet seedless mandarin with a bump on top) and kawachi bankan (Japanese grapefruit).

(Related: You might as well stop by for some good whisky at Umi + Vino, Emporium Shokuhin, which clinched our Bar of the Week earlier in the year for its secret stash of rares.)

Fruit aside, with its location between the Seto Inland Sea to the north and Uwa Sea to the west, Ehime has access to rich marine life. Fisheries dot the coastline, which is indented and ideal for aquaculture. The prefecture is the country’s top producer of farmed red sea bream.

So the next time you’re planning a Japanese themed dinner at home, drop by the Ehime Specialities Corner and pick up a few items. You’ll be helping to spread the word about this resource-rich area of Japan.

#01-18 Marina Square

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