The first thing many visitors notice on Okunoshima is not a building or a landmark, but a rabbit hopping across the road. Another may be resting under a tree, while a few more come out of the bushes when someone approaches. Rabbits are everywhere on this small island in Japan’s Inland Sea, and it is easy to see why people call it Rabbit Island. Yet the place has a past that is very different from the cheerful scenes people share in photographs.
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| Okunoshima Rabbit Island in Japan, famous for its free-roaming rabbits |
Long before Okunoshima became a popular stop for tourists, the military used it for a secret purpose. A chemical weapons factory operated here during World War II, producing poisonous gases for the Japanese military. The island’s wartime history was kept quiet for years, and traces of that period can still be found among its abandoned buildings and old military structures. Today, the Poison Gas Museum tells part of this difficult story.
The rabbits are what draw most people to Okunoshima, but their presence raises a question that has never been fully settled: how did they get here in the first place? Several accounts have circulated over the years, and there is no single confirmed explanation for the island’s rabbit population. This mix of friendly wildlife and hidden history makes Okunoshima unlike many other islands in Japan. A visit can mean watching rabbits along the shoreline one moment and discovering a thought-provoking reminder of the past the next.
Where Is Okunoshima Rabbit Island?
Why Is Okunoshima Called Rabbit Island?
How Did the Rabbits Get to Okunoshima?
One popular account says that schoolchildren released eight rabbits on the island in 1971. Another theory suggests that rabbits used in experiments were released after the war. Neither explanation has been conclusively established. There is also no reliable, universally accepted count of the island’s rabbit population. The number changes over time, so claims about an exact total should be treated cautiously.
The Dark History of Okunoshima
The Secret Chemical-Weapons Factory
Before becoming famous for rabbits, Okunoshima had an entirely unique role. The Imperial Japanese Army established a secret chemical weapons facility on the island in 1929. The factory produced toxic substances, including mustard gas and tear gas, during the period leading up to the end of World War II.
The island’s isolated location helped keep the factory’s activities hidden. The military also removed Okunoshima from some maps, making its wartime history less visible to the public.
The Okunoshima Poison Gas Museum
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| The Poison Gas Museum opened in 1988 to educate people about the island's role in WWII. |
Image by Wikipedia
The Okunoshima Poison Gas Museum opened in 1988. Its exhibits explain the island’s chemical-weapons production, the dangerous working conditions inside the factories, and the effects of poison gas on human health. Ruined military buildings and former factory structures remain scattered around the island. They offer a reminder of a period that contrasts sharply with the peaceful landscape visitors see today.
What Can You See on Rabbit Island?
How to Visit Okunoshima Rabbit Island
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Okunoshima Rabbit Island?
Okunoshima is in the Seto Inland Sea, off Takehara in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.
Why is Okunoshima famous for rabbits?
The island is home to free-roaming rabbits that approach visitors, earning it the nickname Usagi Shima, or Rabbit Island.
How did rabbits get to Okunoshima?
Their exact origin is uncertain. Stories include rabbits released by schoolchildren in 1971 and rabbits connected to postwar experiments.
Is Okunoshima connected to Japan’s chemical-weapons history?
Yes. A secret chemical-weapons facility operated on the island during the wartime period, and the Poison Gas Museum documents that history.
Conclusion
A visit to Okunoshima can leave you with two very different impressions of the same place. You might spend part of the day watching rabbits along the island’s quiet paths, then come across an old military building or the Poison Gas Museum and be reminded of what happened here during the war. That contrast is what makes Okunoshima more than just a popular destination for animal lovers. Its rabbits may be the reason many people arrive, but the island’s forgotten buildings and wartime history give the visit a much deeper story.
References & Sources
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