Okunoshima
Okunoshima is a small island widely known as 'Rabbit Island' for its large population of wild but very tame rabbits that approach visitors freely for food, making it a popular, unusual day trip destination, particularly for those specifically seeking out the rabbits as a novelty stop. Feed sold on the island or brought from the mainland is the standard way to interact with them, though visitors should avoid picking rabbits up, since they can be easily stressed or injured.
The island has a much darker history than its current reputation suggests: it was the site of a secret Imperial Japanese Army poison gas production facility during the 1930s and '40s, kept off maps at the time, and the ruins of the old factory buildings remain scattered around the island alongside a small museum documenting this history, giving Okunoshima an unusual juxtaposition of a cheerful rabbit-photo destination layered directly on top of a somber wartime industrial site.
Okunoshima FAQs
Yes, they're accustomed to visitors and approach readily for food, though visitors should avoid picking them up (it can stress or injure them) and should bring appropriate feed rather than random human food.
By ferry (about 12-15 minutes) from Tadanoumi Port, itself reachable by train from Hiroshima or Fukuyama with a transfer.
Okunoshima was the site of a secret Imperial Japanese Army poison gas production facility during the 1930s-40s, deliberately kept off official maps at the time; the old factory ruins and a small museum document this history.
A few hours is enough to walk the loop trail, feed the rabbits, and visit the Poison Gas Museum, though check ferry schedules since departures are limited.
The rabbit-focused parts of the island are entirely family-friendly; the Poison Gas Museum's content is more suited to older children or adults interested in the historical context, and families can choose whether to include that stop.
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