IMABARI, Ehime Pref. -- Residents in Ehime Prefecture have long referred to their area as the "Orchard of Japan."
The nickname remains apt; Ehime is the country's top producer of "mikan" mandarin oranges, kiwi and "iyokan" citrus fruit, according to a survey by the prefecture.
With the opening of the Shimanami Kaido bridges, Ehime hopes its position as a major center of fruit production, as well as its natural beauty, will help attract more tourists.
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