Hiroshima : Rabbit lovers, rejoice! Okunoshima island is just hopping with furry friends

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:23 JST, June 3, 2022

Hundreds of rabbits have made Okunoshima island, located in the Seto Inland Sea, their home. 

The island, part of Hiroshima Prefecture’s Takehara City, is a small island roughly 4 meters in circumference. Visitors to the island are free to walk around for about an hour. 

A video featuring the rabbits garnered much attention in Japan and abroad back in 2014 and as a result, the island gained popularity as a place where visitors can interact with such a large number of rabbits.

It is said that the island’s rabbit population increased after eight rabbits were released from an elementary school on outskirts of the island 50 years ago. Their diet consists mostly of grass and the lack of natural enemies such as black kites, crows, and snakes had helped the rapid increased on population.

Although this island is a popular tourist destination, it was once a base for poison gas production before and during WWII. The Okunoshima poisonous gas museum has tons of information on the island’s history of the poisonous gas production. While the gas production factory was demolished, the remains of facilities including warehouses stand to this day.

Location

Okunoshima island, Takehara City, Hiroshima Prefecture