About us

Setonaikai is a family-run shop specializing in authentic ingredients, cookware and tableware from Japan and the Far East, along with a range of cards, gifts and kimonos. In addition to Japanese items, we also sell a wide range of products from the following countries: Thailand, India, China, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Middle East, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, Pakistan and more. With over 2,000 product lines, and growing, we offer a complete oriental kitchen in one shop.

Setonaikai is owned and run by partners Mark and Misako, both self-confessed foodies. In 1976, Mark experienced food retailing first-hand at his parent's delicatessen shop in the nearby town of Wellington. In 1986, Mark branched out on his own and established his own shop, Setonaikai, specializing in Japanese food, cookware and tableware. The shop borrows its name from the Japanese word Setonaikai, which is the inland sea that runs between Japan's main islands of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. In 1994, Setonaikai moved to its current shop on the Wyle Cop in Shrewsbury.

Setonaikai's aim is to provide a one-stop shop where you can buy everything you need to cook and enjoy truly authentic dishes.

You can see our full range of items in our searchable product lists. If you can't find what you're looking for, please give us a call, as our product range is growing all the time. Our knowledgeable and experienced staff offer a helpful and friendly service in either English or Japanese. Our normal opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Setonaikai shop is located on the historic shopping street Wyle Cop, which is lined with many tudor-style buildings. Click here for a map (opens in a new window). Close by we have Appleyards Delicatessen, Tanners Wines, and a cookware shop, making Wyle Cop a "must visit" place for foodies. Ample car parking is available at the bottom of Wyle Cop.

Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire and lies on the River Severn. With its medieval passages, or shuts, black and white buildings, Quarry Park, annual Flower Show and Folk Festival, Shrewsbury attracts visitors from all over the world. In addition to the larger high-street names, it's home to a variety of independent specialist shops, traditional pubs and restaurants, making it a great place to shop, eat and relax. A variety of local, quality produce, meat, fish, and vegetables, and so on, is available from Shrewsbury's indoor market. To learn more about Shrewsbury, see the Shrewsbury Tourism website.

Setonaikai is an Aladdin’s cave for cooks and those with an interest in the Orient, but if you can't get to our shop and you know what you want, you can always place your order by phone, fax, e-mail or post, in either English or Japanese. (Note that our frozen and chilled items are for collection only.)

We accept the following methods of payment: cash, cheque, debit and charge cards (Visa, MasterCard, JCB, Solo, Switch, Electron and Maestro).

To make it even easier for you to buy from us, we will soon be launching our online shop. Stay tuned!

You can contact us by e-mail at by telephone 01743 343517 or fax 01743 233014.

We look forward to serving you.