Setouchi Region

The Setouchi Region 瀬戸内地方
Region
The Setouchi Region in Japan
Area
• Total	29,259.08 km2 (11,296.99 sq mi)
Population (10 October 2016)
• Total	8,495,907
• Density	290.4/km2 (752/sq mi)
Time zone	JST (UTC+9)

The Setouchi Region (瀬戸内地方, Setouchi Chiho^?), or simply Setouchi, is a geographic region of Japan. Setouchi includes the Seto Inland Sea and the coastal areas of Honshū, Shikoku, and Kyūshū, three of the four main islands of Japan.

Yamaguchi, Hiroshima, Okayama, Hyōgo, Osaka, Kagawa, Ehime, Fukuoka, and Ōita prefectures all have coastlines in Setouchi; the cities of Hiroshima, Iwakuni, Takamatsu, and Matsuyama are also located within the region.

The Setouchi region is known for its moderate climate, with a stable year-round temperature and relatively low rainfall levels. The sea is also famous for its periodic red tides (赤潮, akashio^?) caused by dense aggregations of certain phytoplankton that result in the deaths of large numbers of fish.