For decades the Seto Inland Sea islands have been accessible to only the most intrepid foreign tourists. English guidebooks have long considered the mainland coastal cities of Osaka, Kobe and Hiroshima (and perhaps parts of the western shores of Shikoku) to be the sole places of interest. The 250 or so inhabited islands scattered like pebbles between these two land masses — where the true heart and soul of the Inland Sea resides — have been relegated to guidebook text boxes labeled "Off the beaten track."
The national government has yet to recognize the Seto Inland Sea islands as having their own tourism identity, and local governments often consider these far-flung extensions of their mainland towns to be "backward" and inconsequential.
There have been some notable exceptions, such as bridge systems built to connect some of the islands. The Shimanami Kaido even includes a dedicated path for lightweight vehicles such as mopeds and bicycles.