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Ever dreamed of being swarmed by a flock of fluffy bunnies? Of feeding them each a carrot and watching their noses twitch as they nibble their way through the snack? Of sitting down among the fluff and watching the sun set over a peaceful ocean? Whether you have or not, we bet you’ll love the magic of Hiroshima’s Okunoshima!
Japan is known for its enclaves of adorable wild animals! Plenty of visitors will find their way to Nara or Miyajima to see the somewhat tame wild deer, head up north to play with the foxes at the Zao Fox Village, or maybe even run into the many cats of Enoshima Island.
But how familiar are you with Hiroshima's Okunoshima? A.K.A. Rabbit Island! It hasn't quite reached the same level of fame as some of the other animal-filled spots, but it's on its way. If you think about the ratio of adorable animals to visitors, you'll be hard pressed to find anywhere better than this little island, so grab your carrot sticks and make some new rabbit friends!
Where Did All the Rabbits Come From?
For such a fun place, the island has a surprisingly dark past. Starting in the 1920s, the Imperial Japanese Army started developing chemical weapons on Okunoshima. The project was kept entirely secret, even through the construction of a chemical munitions gas manufacturing plant on the island, where thousands of tons of mustard and tear gas were produced. Not so cute. But the reason for initiating the military project on this island are the same reasons why the rabbits thrive there now, isolation.
A common rumor is that the rabbits on the island are descendants of rabbits used as test subjects inside the chemical weapons plant, which is kind of horrifying. The reality is that those rabbits certainly existed, but the bunnies you see now frolicking freely on Okunoshima were simply brought to the island after the factory's demolition, when the space was developed into a park. They do add a lot to the island!
Nowadays, Okunoshima is mostly just a destination for rabbit-loving travelers! You can certainly learn about the island's history during your visit by taking a look at some of the building ruins or the local museum, but the real focus is all the furry critters.
How to Get There
Seeing the Sights
Details
NAME:Okunoshima Island
MAP
ACCESS:Tadanoumi Station
PROFILE
I came to Japan for a semester abroad, and I've been here ever since, so I guess I just can't get enough of the place. Tell me all the cool Japan-related things you know on instagram or twitter @japankuru !
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