For those who love traveling and cute
animals, here is an island that should be added to your list of places to visit. And, remember to pack some extra carrots when you visit!
Ōkunoshima island in Japan, also known as
Usaga Jima, meaning "rabbit island", is a famous tourist attraction worldwide and it's not hard to see why - the island is filled with wild yet friendly bunnies.
Source: Bored Panda
Ōkunoshima covers over two and a half miles, taking tourists one hour and a half to walk around. Hundreds of rabbits are allowed to hop around and freely approach visitors who come to this island in
Japan’s Inland Sea, in Takehara City, Hiroshima Prefecture.
Source: Bored Panda
Tourists are not allowed to hurt, frighten or abuse the bunnies. And to help them feel the most comfortable in their homeland, visitors are suggested not to bring along their cats and dogs.
Source: Bored Panda
No one knows how the rabbits got to the island and made it the capital of cuteness. There is
a theory that they were brought to the island between 1929 to 2005 as test subjects for the chemical weapon (poison gas) that the Japanese army secretly produced. The rabbits nowadays are believed to be the offspring of the original ones. However,
the rabbits were euthanized after the operation finished, according to experts.
Source: Bored Panda
Another rumor says that the bunnies were transported to the island by school kids in the '70s, and their population quickly increased. Nowadays, it is estimated that about 700-1000 rabbits stay on the island.
Source: Bored Panda
Apart from visiting the rabbits, there are other activities visitors may enjoy. There is a hotel, a museum, a modest golf course, and gorgeous beaches dotted around the island. Tourists can also see the relics of military sites, and old factories built by the army for their poison gas industry.
Source: Bored Panda
Food for rabbits is sold everywhere, but visitors prefer bringing carrots and lettuce from home just to feed these furry friends. The bunnies are friendly to humans, so they often follow tourists in herds. We know that you may love them so much, but don't pick up any rabbit from here.
Come and visit Ōkunoshima right now!