Okunoshima Island (Rabbit Island)

Located just 3 km from Tadanoumi Port in Takehara City of Hiroshima Prefecture, Ōkunoshima (pronounced as Ohkunoshima) is internationally recognized as “Rabbit Island”. Ōkunoshima is inhabited by 20 humans and hundreds of rabbits (ranging between 500 and 1,000 in the last decade). They are the offspring of the ones which escaped from an elementary school on the island in the early 70’s. The population of the rabbits decreased during the pandemic, because of lack of food/tourists (many rabbits were forced to return to the forest for food foraging), but the population has quickly recovered, and there is absolutely no shortage of them nowadays.
Every year over 350,000 rabbit lovers from all over the world visit Ōkunoshima, however, like Taketomi Island or Miyajima Island, you can have a much better and different experience if you stay the night instead of a day trip, as the island becomes quiet and serene again after the last boat leaves for the day.
Ōkunoshima has a few idyllic secluded beaches like many other islands in Seto Inland Sea (there are over 700 of them!) but these nameless secluded beaches are often ignored by tourists (only the main beach attracts the attention of some tourists) as they are all very busy hanging out with the bunnies.

Most people take the ferry from Tadanoumi Port but if you plan to visit Ōkunoshima on a weekend or national holiday, we highly recommend taking the boat from Sunami Port as they accept online bookings so there is no need to line up for the tickets which is inevitable for the ferries from Tadanoumi Port.

Usually we avoid this kind of overly touristy place, but we have to admit that it’s such a fun place for families who love animals, especially if you stay the night (and the rabbits are more active from late afternoon into the night, as well as early in the morning).
Ōkunoshima has only one place to stay, which is Kyukamura Ohkunoshima.

PrefectureHiroshimaSize0.7 sq kmPopulation20AccessFerries run frequently between Tadanoumi Port and Okunoshima, which takes 15 mins. Boats run between Sunami Port and Okunoshima on weekends and national holidays, which takes about 20 mins. Getting aroundOn foot