And what if I told you that there is an island full of rabbits in Japan? There are so many rabbits that you can’t count them. In this article, we will talk about Okunoshima, the island of rabbits.
Okunoshima [大久野島] is a small island located in Takehara in Hiroshima Prefecture. The place consists of campsites, trails, and historical sites.
The island is also known as “usagi jima” [ウサギ島], which means rabbit island, due to the numerous wild rabbits that inhabit the island. Fortunately, they are docile and have become accustomed to humans, making the island a perfect tourist spot.
The island was initially created for the purpose of developing lethal gases for war, where more than 6,000 tons were produced; however, with the end of World War II, this entire project was abandoned and kept secret, leaving the island completely deserted and unknown among people.
The island has completely changed; now you can find hotels, a golf course, and a camping park, and you can even swim in the clean water that surrounds the island and, of course, play and feel the cuteness of the thousands of rabbits that inhabit the island.
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The Rabbits of Okunoshima
When the island was abandoned after World War II, the rabbits that were used to test the effectiveness of chemical weapons were released. However, according to the government, they were destroyed along with the factories, and they claim that the current rabbits present on the island have nothing to do with those used in the tests. But probably some must have escaped, and you know… (2=8=50=200=800=2000=156458468)
It is worth remembering that it is prohibited to hunt these rabbits, including bringing animals like cats and dogs to the island. Japan is full of unique places like cat islands and fox villages, in addition to the deer found in Nara.
We recommend reading also:
- Nekojima – Discover 20 Cat Islands in Japan
- Kitsune – Foxes in Japanese Culture
- Discover Nara – The City of Deer
Poison Gas Museum
The island also has a museum inaugurated in 1988 to show as many people as possible the terrible truths about poison gas. In this museum, it is possible to find details about the effect of gas on the body, and also about affected people; you can see a bit of the plant, equipment used, etc.
Trip to Okunoshima – Rabbit Island
In 2016, I had the opportunity to visit this island personally and found it a must-visit tourist spot for animal lovers. It was a quick trip from Osaka to Mihara; I intended to take the Kuro Line, but it would take too long, so I took a bus to Tadanoumi Bay and paid about 600 yen to access the island. Below you can see a video made by me:
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