The Shikoku area, located at southeast part of Honshu (mainland), consists of four prefectures, Tokushima, Kagawa, Ehime and Kochi prefectures. The total population is approximately 4.1 million. Though located relatively close to capital region, the Shikoku area had been treated as a faraway country in ancient times as ships were indispensable for traveling. Today, however, three bridges have been opened between Honshu and Shikoku and travel using railroads and cars has become active.
The economic scale of the Shikoku area is approximately 3% of national economic scale, as is said as the "3% economy" for total of four prefectures. The Seto Inland Sea side is located in the Pacific Belt Zone, and the Setouchi industrial region is formed by cities centered such as on Marugame, Shikoku-Chuo, Niihama and Imabari cities.
In the Shikoku area, Awaodori festival of Tokushima prefecture and Yosakoi festival of Kochi prefecture are famous. Also, there are many unique specialties and local dishes such as Udon (Japanese wheat noodle), Wasanbon (Japanese traditional cane sugar) and mandarin orange, in each prefecture.
