Japan Rabbit Island Guide: Okunoshima — How to Get There, See the Rabbits & History
Okunoshima (大久野島) is one of Japan's most unexpectedly delightful destinations — a small island in the Seto Inland Sea where hundreds of wild rabbits roam freely and approach visitors without fear. This guide covers how to reach the island by ferry from Tadanoumi, the best spots and techniques for meeting and feeding the rabbits, the island's sobering history as a WWII poison gas factory, and how to plan the perfect day trip or overnight stay.
What Is Rabbit Island? Okunoshima's Dual Legacy
Okunoshima (大久野島) is a small island of approximately 700 hectares in the Seto Inland Sea, administratively part of Takehara City in Hiroshima Prefecture. It sits roughly 3 kilometres off the mainland coast and is accessible only by a short ferry crossing from the port of Tadanoumi. The island has become internationally famous for one reason above all others: it is home to hundreds of free-roaming wild rabbits — the current population is estimated at 600–900 animals — who have colonised every corner of the island and approach visitors with complete fearlessness, swarming around anyone carrying food with endearing (and occasionally overwhelming) enthusiasm. The island first attracted significant tourist attention in the early 2010s when photos of rabbits mobbing visitors went viral internationally, and visitor numbers climbed from a few thousand per year to well over 100,000 annually by 2015. For families with children, wildlife photographers, and anyone who simply wants to be surrounded by curious, friendly animals in a scenic island setting, Okunoshima delivers an experience genuinely unlike anywhere else in Japan. Yet the island carries a deeply contradictory identity. Before the rabbits, before the tourists, Okunoshima was one of Imperial Japan's most secret and sinister military installations — the site of a large-scale chemical weapons manufacturing facility that produced mustard gas, lewisite, and other poison gases used in the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. This history is preserved and interpreted at the island's Poison Gas Museum (毒ガス資料館), making Okunoshima a place where visitors must hold two very different experiences simultaneously: the joy of feeding rabbits in autumn sunshine, and the weight of confronting a difficult chapter in 20th-century history.
Getting There: Ferries from Tadanoumi and Mihara
Getting to Okunoshima requires a ferry crossing, and the most convenient access point is Tadanoumi Port (忠海港) on the JR Kure Line. From Hiroshima Station, take the JR San'yo Main Line to Mihara (approximately 75 minutes by rapid train) and then transfer to the JR Kure Line for Tadanoumi (approximately 15 minutes), or take the JR Kure Line directly via Kure (approximately 100 minutes, slower but more scenic through the Kure naval port area). Tadanoumi Station is a 2-minute walk from the ferry port. The Okunoshima Ferry (大久野島フェリー) operated by Kyukamura Okunoshima departs from Tadanoumi approximately every 40–60 minutes from around 7:30 to 18:00, with the last return ferry typically at 17:30–18:00 depending on season. The crossing takes 12 minutes. One-way adult fare is approximately 310 yen. A second ferry route connects Mihara Port (三原港) with Okunoshima — approximately 30 minutes crossing — with fewer daily departures, making it a useful option for travellers approaching from eastern Hiroshima Prefecture or connecting from the Shinkansen at Mihara Station (which is close to Mihara Port). From Osaka, the Shinkansen to Mihara takes approximately 80 minutes and then the Mihara ferry is a convenient option. From Tokyo, the Shinkansen to Fukuyama or Mihara takes approximately 3.5 hours. Note that the ferry does not accept vehicles larger than bicycles — the island has no private cars. There is ample bicycle rental at Tadanoumi Port and at the island's Kyukamura hotel. Bicycles are the recommended way to explore the island's circuit road (approximately 4km perimeter), which reaches all the main rabbit feeding areas, historical ruins, and facilities.
Meeting the Rabbits: Feeding, Behavior and Best Spots
The rabbits of Okunoshima are the island's defining attraction and they behave in ways that visitors accustomed to wild animals find astonishing: they run toward people rather than away, they climb on laps and shoulders, they follow groups of visitors down paths in large clusters, and they show no hesitation about accepting food directly from hands. Rabbit food (ペレット, pellets, the standard safe feed) and dried vegetables are sold at Tadanoumi Port before boarding and at the Kyukamura hotel on the island — purchasing food before arriving on the island is strongly recommended as supply at the hotel shop is not always reliable, especially on busy weekends. Rabbits congregate most heavily near the ferry terminal, the campsite area, and the grassy areas around the ruins of old military buildings — the combination of open space, shade from ruins walls, and the concentration of visitor activity creates natural gathering zones. The highest concentration of rabbits is typically in the grassy areas between the Visitor Centre and the Seaside Hotel in the late morning and late afternoon; at midday during summer, many rabbits retreat to shade under bushes and the ruins walls. Feeding etiquette: offer food in an open palm rather than pinching it between fingers (rabbits have poor depth perception and may nip fingers). Children should be supervised as the sheer number of animals surging toward a food holder can be startling. Do not feed cabbage, lettuce, or human snack food — these cause digestive problems. Do not pick up or hold rabbits — the island's policy is against handling, and rabbits can scratch and bite when lifted against their will. The best photographs are typically taken with a wide-angle lens in the late afternoon light from the campsite area, where rabbits spread across open grass against a backdrop of the Seto Inland Sea.
The Dark History: Okunoshima as a WWII Poison Gas Factory
From 1929 to 1945, Okunoshima was one of Imperial Japan's most secret military facilities — the primary manufacturing site for chemical weapons including mustard gas (イペリット), lewisite, phosgene, and tear gas. The facility operated under extreme secrecy: the island was removed from official maps, workers were sworn to secrecy under pain of severe punishment, and the surrounding towns were effectively silenced for decades after the war. At its peak operation between 1939 and 1945, the factory employed approximately 6,000 workers — including many Korean and Chinese forced labourers — and produced over 6,000 tons of poison gas that was shipped to Japanese military forces and used extensively in the Second Sino-Japanese War in China. The human cost was catastrophic: hundreds of workers developed serious chronic illnesses including respiratory damage, skin lesions, and eye conditions from exposure during manufacture and testing; many died of occupational illness in subsequent decades. The buildings of the manufacturing complex — storage buildings, production halls, power stations, and military installations — were not demolished after the war and remain as ruined structures throughout the island. These ruins, now overgrown and slowly collapsing, are accessible to visitors and form an eerie counterpoint to the surrounding rabbit population. The Poison Gas Museum (毒ガス資料館), a small but sobering museum operated by the island's resort hotel association, displays production equipment, protective gear, period photographs, medical records of worker illnesses, and testimony from surviving workers. Entry is free. The museum presents the history forthrightly and without nationalistic framing — it is primarily oriented toward documenting the harm done to Japanese workers and to the people of China. Visiting the museum takes approximately 45–60 minutes and is strongly recommended for adult visitors as context for understanding the island's complex character.
Staying Overnight: 休暇村大久野島 Hotel and Facilities
Okunoshima has one accommodation option: Kyukamura Okunoshima (休暇村大久野島), a national resort facility operated by the National Vacation Village Association (国民休暇村). The hotel occupies a large, well-maintained complex on the island's southern shore with full facilities including Japanese-style rooms (washitsu with futon bedding) and Western-style rooms, a large communal onsen bath with views of the Seto Inland Sea, restaurant serving Hiroshima-regional cuisine (particularly oysters and locally caught sea bream, for which the Seto Inland Sea is famous), and basic rental equipment including bicycles and snorkelling gear. Room rates run approximately 9,000–18,000 yen per person per night including dinner and breakfast (the standard Japanese resort (kyukamura) pricing model). Reservations are essential — the hotel is popular year-round and fully booked on weekends and school holiday periods months in advance. Online booking is available through the hotel's official website and through major Japanese booking platforms. Staying overnight on Okunoshima provides access to the island during the morning and evening hours when day-trippers are absent — early morning (before the 9am ferry arrivals) is reportedly the best time to see rabbits in open grassy areas undisturbed by crowds, and the rabbits' behaviour at dusk is noticeably more relaxed. Overnight guests can also watch the sunset over the Seto Inland Sea from the hotel terrace, take a communal bath after a day of cycling the island, and experience a remarkably peaceful nighttime environment with no traffic and no light pollution except the distant lights of the mainland shore.
Planning Your Visit: Day Trip vs Overnight, Best Seasons
Okunoshima works well as either a day trip or overnight stay depending on your priorities and schedule. As a day trip from Hiroshima, the logistics are manageable: depart Hiroshima Station by 8:00–8:30, arrive at Tadanoumi Port by 9:30–10:00, take the first convenient ferry, spend 4–5 hours on the island including rabbit feeding, museum visit, and circuit cycling, and return to Hiroshima by late afternoon. This schedule pairs naturally with a half-day in Hiroshima — either the Peace Memorial Museum in the morning before departure, or upon return in the late afternoon/evening. From Onomichi or Mihara, even shorter day trips are possible. For the overnight option, arriving on the afternoon ferry (leaving Tadanoumi around 14:00–15:00) and departing the next morning after breakfast gives the fullest experience of the island's quieter hours. Spring (late March to May) is the most pleasant season — mild weather, wildflowers on the hillsides, and active rabbits. Autumn (October to November) is also excellent. Summer (July–August) is hot and the rabbits retreat to shade during midday hours, though it is peak season for the resort hotel and families on school holiday. Winter is quiet and atmospheric, and the rabbits remain active as they are not hibernating animals — but ferry frequency may be reduced and the Kyukamura hotel can be partially closed. Weekdays are dramatically less crowded than weekends — the island can feel genuinely peaceful on a winter weekday versus genuinely overwhelming on a summer Saturday when day-tripper ferries arrive full. Combining Okunoshima with Onomichi (45 minutes by JR from Tadanoumi) — a beautifully preserved hillside port town with temple walks and the famous Cat Alley — makes for an excellent 2-day itinerary in the Hiroshima region.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I feed the rabbits on Okunoshima?
The safest and most recommended food is rabbit pellets (ペレット), which are sold at Tadanoumi Port before boarding and at the Kyukamura hotel shop on the island. Dried vegetables and hay are also suitable. Do not feed the rabbits cabbage, lettuce, onions, chocolate, or any processed human food — these cause digestive problems and can be harmful. Pellets are available in small bags at the port for approximately 100–200 yen. Buying supplies at the port is strongly recommended as the hotel shop may sell out on busy days.
Where can I buy rabbit food before getting on the ferry?
The Tadanoumi Port terminal building has a small shop and vending machines where rabbit pellets and dried vegetables can be purchased before boarding. There is also a convenience store approximately 5 minutes' walk from the port. The Kyukamura hotel on the island stocks some supplies but can sell out on busy weekend days. If you are approaching via Mihara Port instead, the port area has fewer shops — buy supplies at the nearest convenience store to Mihara Station before heading to the ferry.
Is it safe to touch or pick up the rabbits?
The island's official policy discourages picking up or holding the rabbits, and this is the right approach for several reasons. While the rabbits are habituated to humans and will approach freely, being lifted is stressful for them and they can scratch and bite when held against their will. Allowing rabbits to sit on your lap or shoulders of their own volition is fine — many will do so voluntarily when you sit down with food. Children should be supervised, as a large group of rabbits rushing toward a food source can be startling and small children can be knocked over. The population is also monitored for disease, and unnecessary handling increases stress on animals that are already dealing with heavy visitor loads.
Can I combine Okunoshima with a Hiroshima Peace Memorial visit?
Yes, and the combination is a natural fit thematically as well as logistically, since both sites deal with difficult WWII history alongside compelling present-day experiences. A recommended 2-day Hiroshima itinerary: Day 1 — Peace Memorial Museum and Park (morning), Miyajima Island / Itsukushima Shrine (afternoon/evening); Day 2 — early morning to Tadanoumi, ferry to Okunoshima, half-day on the island, return to Hiroshima by mid-afternoon. Alternatively, Okunoshima fits into the journey between Hiroshima and Onomichi as a half-day stop: depart Hiroshima morning, stop at Okunoshima midday, continue to Onomichi for overnight.
How do I book the Kyukamura hotel on Okunoshima?
The Kyukamura Okunoshima (休暇村大久野島) can be booked through the official Kyukamura website (kyukamura.jp/okunoshima), through Jalan (jalan.net), or through Rakuten Travel — the official site is most reliable for availability and pricing. Room rates include dinner and breakfast in the standard Japanese resort style. Advance booking is essential: the hotel is consistently full on weekends and during school holiday periods (Golden Week in late April/early May, Obon in mid-August, year-end holidays). Weekday bookings are generally available with shorter notice. Note that the hotel is one of a national chain of kyukamura (national vacation villages) operated by the government-affiliated association — it is clean, reliable, and good value but not a luxury property.
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