Okunoshima, the island of rabbits

Departing from Hiroshima accompanied by an English-speaking guide, go to Okunoshima, the island of rabbits, and spend a fairytale-like day interacting with these small, fluffy mammals

WE ARE SORRY. THIS ACTIVITY IS TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE.

Okunoshima, a small, unique island in the Seto Inland Sea

 Japan is full of surprises. One of these is that the Japanese are not the only ones to inhabit the islands. There are also rabbits... Rabbits have set up their colony on a small island in the Seto Sea, a little over an hour's train ride from Hiroshima : Okunoshima Island. With this activity, we suggest you explore this small island with a local guide, to discover all the secrets of Okunoshima, the rabbit island.

A whole island of rabbits

 At just over 4 km in circumference, as an island, Okunoshima is uninhabited - by humans! But by rabbits, yes. Okunoshima can easily be visited on foot, and apart from a campsite, an onsen and a few beaches, not much else is there. Besides, of course, being a sanctuary for a few thousand wild rabbits, which live there in community, populating the forests, frolicking in public places, sending a few representatives to welcome you off the boat. Familiar with humans, they are friendly and will not hesitate to accept food when you hand it to them.

The unexpected history of Okunoshima

But behind all this softness and sweetness lies a very dark story. Okunoshima was not always an island to relax and enjoy watching rabbits. In 1929, as global diplomatic tensions mounted, the imperialist government decided to establish a chemical plant on Okunoshima, chosen for its isolated geographical location and small size, to manufacture poisonous gases. The island then mysteriously disappeared from the map.

They say that between 1929 and 1945, the Japanese army secretly manufactured over 6,000 tons of poison gas here, used in the war in China. The rabbits that inhabit the island today may well be the ancestors of the unfortunate guinea pigs used to test the gas. Your guide will take you to see the poison gas museum, the old warehouses or the remains of the military camp of the Meiji era.

An English-speaking guide for a day optimized for logistics and experience

 Your guide will accompany you from Hiroshima. They will choose the best time for you to change trains and ferries to optimize your time spent travelling there and back. We recommend using the JR national pass or JR pass West (Sanyo or Setouchi) to cover the journey to Tadanoumi port. The guide will also tell you where to get rabbit food, and the rules that must be followed on Okunoshima to protect the rabbits and their habitat. Meet at 8:30 am at Hiroshima Station for an unforgettable day.

Not included in the offer:

- Transport

- Lunch

- Paid admissions

For the train journey, we recommend using the JR pass (if you do not yet have a JR pass, the one-way journey costs about 3,810 yen). The ferry costs 310 yen one way.

Cancellation policy:

Up to 7 days before: 0%

Between 7 days before and 5:00 p.m. the previous day: 50%

After 5:00 p.m. the previous day and same day: 100%