Seto Inland Sea

Seto Inland Sea is a water body that separates the three main islands of the Japan which are Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku. The sea operates as an international channel that connects the Sea of Japan to the Pacific Ocean. The Seto Inland Sea is an important transportation channel to the industries located in the Kansai region since it connects to the Osaka inlet. The Seto Inland Sea extends 300 miles from Osaka to the Beppu resort on the northeast corner of Kyushu. The sea is suitable for sailing of ships due to the calmness of the water.

Seto Inland Sea Facts for Kids

• The Seto Inland Sea has four main channels that directly connect it to the Pacific Ocean, they include Naruto Strait, Kanmon Strait which is located between Honshu and Kyushu and flows to the Sea of Japan, Hoyo Strait which is located between Kyushu and Shikoku and flows to the Pacific Ocean, Kitan Strait which is located Shikoku and Honshu and also leads to the Pacific Ocean.
• The Seto Inland Sea is one of the most attractive, quiet and pleasant parts of Japan.
• Politically, the water of the Seto Inland Sea is under the control of the Japanese government.
• The most beautiful and attractive parts the Seto Inland Sea are located between Okayama on Honshu, Hiroshima, and Takamatsu in Shikoku.
• The area around the sea has wonderful shoreline background, attractive farms, warm climatic condition with the low rainfall levels, slow-paced fishing villages and more than 3,000 small sized islands.
• Another interesting fact about the people living in the region surrounding the Seto Inland Sea is that they live the same way their ancestors used to live more than a hundred years ago.
• The Seto Inland Sea has an economic benefit to Japan since some of its islands such as Kagawa, Hiroshima, Oita, Osaka and Yamaguchi have their shorelines in the Inland sea. This is considered as a significant trade route and has turned to be popular for its shipping activities. The place is also one of the tourist attraction sites.
• The Seto Inland Sea has a total length of approximately 450 km from the east to west and its wideness ranges from 15 to 55 km from the south to north.
• The Seto Inland Sea is a home for at least 500 marine species living in its waters. The common species of animals found in the Seto Inland Sea are white sharks, horseshoe crabs, ayu and the finless porpoise.
• The Seto Inland Sea have three famous bridges which are Shimanami Kaido toll road connecting the Islands of Hiroshima and Ehime, the Seto Ohashi Bridge that is located between the Okayama island and Kagawa Island. There is also Akashi Kaikyo and Naruto Ohashi bridges that are connected between the Tokushima Island and Hyogo Island.
• After every three years all islands of the Seto Inland Sea celebrate a festival known as Setouchi International Art Festivals or Setouchi Triennale. The main places where the festivals are celebrated include Naoshima, Inujima and Teshima islands.
• The Seto Inland Sea has an average depth of 125 feet.

The following questions are also important to understand:

Question: Which are the cities located in the Seto Inland Sea that engage in economic activities?

Answer: Kobe, Osaka and Hiroshima. While the smaller the smaller include Kure, Ube and Sakaide.