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.

Officials in the port city of Imabari, one terminus of the Shimanami Kaido, are offering a large number of events over the summer, from noh performances to a jazz concert.

A special exhibition set up along the Imabari waterfront for Shimanami Kaido '99 highlights traditional agriculture and light industries, combined with a variety of concerts and events designed for younger visitors and families.

A host of mikan and iyokan-related foods and drinks are on display, but unfortunately, are not available to be sampled. Visitors can, however, watch a demonstration of towel weaving and try their hand at the loom themselves.

Imabari recently launched an aggressive campaign to attract international tourists. More English-language information about the area has been made available, including maps and guidebooks to local tourist attractions.

The Geiyo fortress ruins on Oshima Island, just west of Imabari, draw a good number of foreign tourists. One of the very few modern fortresses in Japan, Geiyo was constructed during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05), out of fear that the Russian Navy would sail through the Shimonseki Straits and try to land on northern Shikoku. Visitors can walk through the old lookout towers and view the underground soldiers' quarters.

The centerpiece of Imabari is Imabari Castle. Built in 1604, the castle contains a museum of local artifacts, including an impressive selection of swords and old works of literature.

Nature, not history, though, is Imabari's main draw for visitors from the big cities. The town has a large number of parks, unspoiled beaches and hot springs.

Those who love the ocean should visit Sakurai beach, about 5 km east of central Imabari. The sand stretches on for nearly 8 km and ends at Sakurai Ishiburo, an underground sauna.

Those who prefer a more upscale experience might want to try Carehouse Imabari. Think of a miniature version of Club Med or a really big sports club, and you get the idea. Carehouse Imabari has 12 different varieties of baths, including whirlpools and Jacuzzis, as well as a pool and training room.

And for those who want something more traditional, right beside Carehouse Imabari is the hot spring health resort Yunoura, the only hot spring in Shikoku to be given official health resort status by the Environment Agency.

Imabari merchants welcomed the completion of the Kurushima Suspension Bridge, hoping that it, combined with the entertainment events of Shimanami Kaido '99 and traditional attractions, will bring in more tourists.

However, like many other local residents on the small and heretofore quiet islands of the Inland Sea, they are also concerned that large crowds might do more harm than good.

Shigeru Okazaki, an Imabari resident who runs a small gift stand near Imabari Station, has such worries.

"Northern Shikoku still has a lot of unspoiled nature. But large groups of Japanese, especially from the big cities, often just dump their garbage on the beach and are loud and disrespectful of the local community," Okazaki said. "More tourism is OK, but how much more?" (E.J.)