So even if you are not an animal lover, but are rather a history buff, Okunoshima is still well worth a visit. Either way, they are now the island's biggest draw, and they are very well cared for. You may have heard of this furry destination by a variety of names: Usagi Shima, Okunoshima, Rabbit Island, or Bunny Island. While the main attraction of the island is of course the rabbits, Okunoshima offers a small selection of activities, including the following: Here’s the easiest way to get to Rabbit Island Okunoshima from Hiroshima: 1. Take a 1-hour ride from Hiroshima to Tadanoumi, and then take a ferry which departs every hour, and you will enjoy the lush nature in the company of your new fluffy friends. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to see rabbits with lacerations or severe wounds. In total, from Hiroshima to the ferry, it’ll take about an hour and 15 minutes and more or less ￥3810. rabbit stock videos & royalty-free footage. Yep, it’s as cute as you think. Ōkunoshima, Japan // Rabbits. “the Rabbit island” is a small island located in Seto Inland Sea in Hiroshima prefecture. You can find and verify the latest ferry timetable here. For those visiting with the sole purpose of interacting with the rabbits, be prepared for a bit of a different experience than planned. Okunoshima is a small Japanese island, located in the Inland Sea of Japan, in the Hiroshima Prefecture. So here I bring you a lighthearted (mostly) tale of an odd little Japanese island ruled by none other than cute, fluffy bunnies. Okunoshima island a.k.a. Today it’s estimated that there are around 1,000 rabbits on the Japanese island. Rabbit Island is accessible by a 15-minute ferry ride from Japan’s mainland. Just be ready to run when you run out of food, as they are prone to chase. A Japanese Island Full of Fluffy Bunnies and Adorable Rescued Pets We’re bringing you the best animal news this week in Pet's Corner, from an island in Japan populated by thousands of fluffy bunnies, to two rescued pets who are now living the good life. Feed the Deer at Nara Well, actually its official name is Okunoshima but thanks to the multitude of cute and fluffy inhabitants, the island has become famous all over the world! Southwest of the beach resort is the Hill of the Evening Sun, a great spot to see the sunset, Look for the picturesque lighthouse on the southern tip of the island (off-limits), The island also has Japan's tallest electricity pylon, 226 meters high. Pellets of rabbit food are sold in the hotel lobby, although we found the rabbits preferred cabbage leaves and carrots which we had brought from home. I’m talking about Japan’s rabbit island; Okunoshima. While many visitors come to visit these cute critters, they may not realize the island harbors a terrifying secret. Thanks to the fluffy creatures, Okunoshima is a popular tourist attraction. “There’s an island in Japan that is covered in cute fluffy bunny rabbits and solemn military ruins. Follow the road to the right which will take you to the ticket office and pier (~10 minutes’ walk from the station to the ferry). Current estimates put the number of rabbits at over 1,000. It was fun for all of us to feed the fluffy little bunnies, not annoying like the deer on Miyajima island that are only cute until you have food in your hand. And because there are no natural predators on the island, the rabbits quickly populated and turned Okunoshima into the fascinating tourist attraction that it is today. patrick kim Okunoshima is a small island located off the coast of Takehara in Hiroshima Prefecture. The origin of the rabbits on the island is as unclear as its harrowing history is apparent. The pretty little island of Okunoshima is known for two things: It was there that the Japanese military once cooked up chemical weapons, a mission so … Browse the JNTO site in one of multiple languages. Guests to the island are encouraged to buy food and feed these docile creatures, who are so used to human contact at this point that they are all but domesticated. Okunoshima is a beautiful island to bike around while learning about its significant history during World War II— and its lasting effects— alongside furry friends. While visiting Japan, filmmaker Micah Moore from Beat Down Boogie took a trip to the small island of Ōkunoshima, aka “Bunny Island,” to meet and film some of the hundreds of friendly bunny residents who roam freely around the island. But no matter where you go, the rabbits are a constant factor, adding a healthy serving of cuteness to almost anything you can do on the island. All Rights Reserved. How much does it cost to go to Rabbit Island? The 11 Best Walking Beaches in the Caribbean, The Best Restaurants in Playa del Carmen Locals Love, The Best 15 Day Trips from Playa del Carmen, Abandoned sites throughout the island with explanations. While rumors have circulated that the rabbits were released after the war and populated the island with their direct descendants, most experts believe that the original rabbits were most likely euthanized. Take the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen (bullet train) to Mihara Station (~30 minutes), 2. Often called Usaga Jima, or Rabbit Island, this place was once a top-secret chemical weapons production site during World War II. Okunoshima is often referred to by its nickname, usagi jima (rabbit island in English). Originally, rabbits were brought to Okunoshima as test subjects in 1929 when the military began producing chemical weapons secretly on the island. Okunoshima is a lovely piece of land located in the Inland Sea of Japan that is known as ‘The Rabbit Island’ because of the hundreds of rabbits living there. Wiped from unclassified maps in the area during the 1930s and 1940s, Okunoshima was used as a base to test chemical weapons of war; the juxtaposition of fluffy rabbits and the Okunoshima Poison Gas Museum cannot escape the notice of even the most avid lotus-eating traveller among our number. The scarcity of proper food has led to health issues, illnesses, and injuries from fighting amongst the other rabbits. Ōkunoshima, or "Rabbit Island," is a small island off of Japan's coast with a dark past and a fluffy present. Despite the island’s dark origins as a poisonous gas factory during World War II, these wild bunnies have brought tourists from all over the world to the little island off the coast of Hiroshima. From the mainland, you can take a ferry from Tadanoumi, on the JR Kure Line. Copyright © Japan National Tourism Organization. At Mihara Station, transfer to the Kure Line (a local train) bound for Hiro (3 stops, ~25 minutes), 4. A group of rabbits rest near the beach at Okunoshima, or “Rabbit Island,… Girl is Holding a Small Wild Fluffy Baby Bunny. See more ideas about bunny, cute bunny, cute animals. There are conflicting stories as to where the rabbits came from. Ōkunoshima (aka Rabbit Island) is located in the Inland Sea of Japan, and it's just one ferry ride away from the Japanese mainland. Most people know it by its nickname, ‘Rabbit Island’, and it is appropriately named. Ferrel rabbits roam the island freely and animal lovers worldwide come to the island to enjoy what it has to offer. Here’s more details on getting to Bunny Island, staying on Bunny island and the answer to what happens if you lie down covered in bunny food on Bunny Island. Okunoshima Island – Japan’s Rabbit Paradise. In 1988, a museum was opened on Okunoshima to present the island's secret past of poison gas manufacturing in unflinching detail. It’s believed that several rabbits were brought over and released by schoolchildren around 1971. For a cheaper option that takes a bit longer, instead of the shinkansen you can take the regular JR Sanyo/Kure Line from Hiroshima to Hiro Station, then the local Mihara Line to Tadanoumi which will take approximately 2 hours in total to reach the ferry and about ￥1520. I challenge anyone to leave there at the end of the day without warm fuzzy feelings! There are ruined military outposts scattered around the island, which without context seem extremely out of place on the island. This was the most recent schedule as of January 2021. Your email address will not be published. The ruins of the former buildings still remain and the signage that explains each of the abandoned sites provides for an educational experience. Now it’s covered in bunnies. Getting to the island might be a little complicated, but the bright side of it is the absence of noisy crowds of tourists. Isolated yet still relatively accessible, Okunoshima was the perfect location for these secret activities. Though Okunoshima is marketed as an island full to the brim of fluffy bunnies – which it is and yes, it is just as cute as you can imagine – the island itself has a much more sinister history. Can you live on Okunoshima Rabbit Island? Located off the coast of Hiroshima , Okunoshima is famous for its large population of rabbits. Your email address will not be published. Yet Tashirojima isn’t the only critter-filled island in Japan. Just look at these three cuties. In the 1920s, Japan signed the Geneva Protocol of 1925 – which banned the … Little Bunny in the Palm Girl is Holding a Small Wild Fluffy Baby Bunny. An island of cute animals with a dark history Located off the coast of Hiroshima, Okunoshima is famous for its large population of rabbits. While wildlife experts don’t recommend feeding wild animals, the practice is wildly accepted and encouraged on Okunoshima. If you are looking for unusual things to do in Japan, a visit to Bunny Island Japan should be on your list. No, the only people who live on the island are those who work at the island’s resort. This small island is located in the Inland Sea of Japan near the city of Takehara, in Hiroshima prefecture. With this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know about visiting Japan’s Okunoshima Rabbit Island in one place. Its official name is Okunoshima but it’s better known as Bunny Island or Rabbit Island – a magical land just off the coast of Japan where over 1,000 bunnies run free, demanding snacks, cuddles, pats and selfies with the people who come to visit them every day. This island is overrun with cute fluffy bunnies, waiting for visitors to come armed with treats. Some believe they are descended from a small batch of eight rabbits released by school children in 1971, while others say the original rabbits were test subjects released after World War II. Okunoshima (大久野島) is Japan’s famous rabbit island where these fluffy creatures have taken over the mostly uninhabited land. This small island is located in the Inland Sea of Japan near the city of Takehara, in Hiroshima prefecture. The Rabbit island is only a ferry ride away from Tadanoumi and Ōmishima in mainland Japan and bunnies come hopping towards the tourists as soon as they deboard. Share your travel photos with us by hashtagging your images with #visitjapanjp. Fluffy Bunny Island was a the site of a not-so-fluffy top-secret factory for poison gas during World War II. Okunoshima is a small island located in the Inland Sea of Japan, approximately 70 km (43 miles) east of the city of Hiroshima. At the time, the government went to great lengths to keep the factory a secret, even removing the island from some maps and keeping the locals in the dark as to what was being produced. By the end of World War II, some six kilotons of mustard gas and tear gas were being made at this one factory. Usagi Jima, or the Rabbit Island of Japan, is a cute tourist spot that's home to endless waves of fluffy bunnies... as well as a tragic history of chemical warfare, animal experimentation, and … Rabbit Island Today. The island is currently overrun by the mammals and as a result, there is a lack of vegetation for them to feed on. Today, "Rabbit Island's" 700,000 square-meter estate is home to a golf course, beaches, parks and even a resort hotel, notes Jaunted.com, despite the island's grim military past. ... Young fluffy rabbit standing up. Can you believe there’s actually a place called Rabbit Island in Japan? About a two hours east of Hiroshima lies the island of Okunoshima which is best known for its fluffy, hoppin’ townies: feral bunnies. Turn right and walk down the street until you hit the bridge, 5. Although Japan was a signatory to the 1925 Geneva Protocol prohibiting chemical warfare, just two years later in 1927, a secret chemical weapons factory was built on Okunoshima. Ōkunoshima, also known as Usagi Shima (Rabbit Island), is a small island with a dark history. I visited Okunoshima when I was living and working in Japan and found that getting to the island can be a little tricky, especially if you don’t speak Japanese. The island played a key role during World War II as a poison gas factory for much of the chemical warfare that was carried out in China. There is no way of knowing exactly how many rabbits currently live on the island, but with no natural predators and cats and dogs barred from entry, the numbers will continue to grow. Once there, tourists can interact with the rabbits, feed them, and pet them. They are well fed, free from predators, and spend their time lounging around getting photographed by fawning humans. There is an island where rabbits rule. As the war ended, documents were destroyed and the Allied forces disposed of the stockpiled chemicals. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. So if the test bunnies weren’t responsible for all of the rabbits on Okunoshima today, then where did the rabbits come from? What’s special about this place is that it is completely crawling with rabbits – a bunny paradise of sorts. There’s no entrance fee for visiting Okunoshima, so your costs will include transportation fees to Tadanoumi Station and the ￥620 round trip ferry ride. While many visitors come to visit these cute critters, they may not realize the island harbors a terrifying secret. Okunoshima (大久野島) is Japan’s famous rabbit island where these fluffy creatures have taken over the mostly uninhabited land. Read Next: Cheap things to do in Tokyo with kids. Required fields are marked *. How do you get to Rabbit Island from Hiroshima? The island does not close, but the ferries to Okunoshima from Tadanoumi port begin at 7:40 in the morning with services running approximately once per hour until 7:15 p.m. Little bunny in the palm of your hand. It was only decades later that the government admitted to any wrongdoing and offered financial and medical support to those in the area whose health had been damaged by the factory. Nov 12, 2018 - Explore Suzy Medina's board "Bunny Tail", followed by 312 people on Pinterest. Okunoshima is accessible by ferry from Tadanoumi. The rabbits have ended up depending on tourists for food, which is often not appropriate or nutritious for the animals. Rabbits on Okunoshima Island, Japan. The island does not shy away from its history, even exploring it for the sake of a brighter future. Have you ever wanted to feed cute fluffy … The child gently hugs a gray fluffy rabbit, a happy childhood rabbit stock videos & royalty-free footage. So where is this bunny … Photo: Flickr /. While the island is a very popular tourist spot, it does have a tragic past. Another ferry to the island leaves from Omishima.