What is Japan’s “Rabbit Island” that I’ve heard about online?

Many people may have seen news about Rabbit Island on the Internet, but like me, they may not have much idea about where it is and how to get there before planning to come here.

As for how many rabbits can be seen? Having just returned from the experience, I can tell you responsibly: the island, which is only around 4 kilometers in a circle, is home to thousands of cute and lively animals living in nature. Best of all: they all! No! Afraid! people! !

The feeling of being squeezed and hugged by a bunch of rabbits is so amazing ~ ?ω?

The official name of Rabbit Island is "Okunoshima", located in Hirano, Japan Tadami Town, Takehara City, Shima Prefecture, floats about 3 kilometers offshore in the Seto Inland Sea (between Honshu and Shikoku).

Therefore, if you want to go there, starting from Hiroshima, the nearest big city, is the most ideal choice.

(1) From Hiroshima Bus Center, take the long-distance bus Takehara·Tadakai Line → in front of Tadakai Station? or

(2) From Hiroshima Bus Center, take the Sanyo Line to Mihara Station → transfer to JR West Wu Line → Chunghae Station

Both methods take about 1.5 -2 hours by car.

This is Chunghae Station along the coastline!

After leaving the station, turn right and walk straight for about 200 meters, then turn right and you will arrive at the pier. You can buy the ferry ticket on site, it costs 310 yen per person, and there are many departures.

Because Zhonghai is a quiet and slightly remote place, almost all the people who get off the bus here are aiming to land on the island, and the number is not too large, almost all of them are Japanese locals who come for leisure and vacation. (Good news for those who are afraid of tourists and crowds)

At the same time, there is a "うさぎちゃん" (rabbit sauce) specialty store diagonally across from Chukai Station and at the ticket office at the pier, which has various rabbit decorations. Things, books, postcards, food, stuffed toys, etc...

I bought a set of Japanese stamps exclusive to Rabbit Island, which are quite commemorative.

We also sell rabbit food (similar in nature to cat food and dog food), which costs about 100 yen per bag. Be sure to note that there is no rabbit food for sale anywhere on the island, so remember to prepare it in advance! Otherwise, the experience and interaction will be much different.

Since there are many rabbits on the island and they are all tough foodies (more on this later), our experience is that simply feeding rabbit food is not enough and requires a lot of food. In terms of cost performance, everyone It is more cost-effective to prepare your own food (carrots, green vegetables, even rabbit grass, etc.) in advance (if you are rich, please feel free to do so)~

Don’t forget to get an exclusive seal for Rabbit Island! Like most travel spots in Japan, the ticket office provides exclusive stamps for free souvenirs. There is also a large seal of Rabbit Sauce under a coconut tree (very consistent with the situation on the island), which is also very cute!

OK, it’s time to sail!

What we are passing through is the Seto Inland Sea (pronounced SetoNaikai in Japanese), the first sea in Japan that is very romantic and artistic in itself.

The Seto Inland Sea is located between Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu in Japan. It has 525 large and small islands and is one of the most important sea areas in Japan. It is more like a large lake, with clear, calm and gentle water, very suitable for leisure and fun.

Oh, by the way, to protect the safety of the rabbits on the island, dogs and large pets are not allowed on the island.

Because it is very close to the land, we arrived at the Seto Inland Sea National Park-Okunoshima Pier in about 10 minutes by boat.

There is no need to worry about where to look for rabbits, because --? You will be surrounded by them as soon as you get off the boat! ! ⊙ω⊙

The rabbits here are accustomed to people coming off the boat to bring a lot of delicious food. In their eyes, they have no natural enemies or any threats of human destruction and have been pampered. Human beings are equal to = awesome eaters (there is no doubt about the quality of Japanese citizens); we, the foodies in Greater China, are unstoppable.

Two days ago, a travel show talked about Rabbit Island, and many netizens left half-joking comments: Why, when I saw the fat rabbit paper, I drooled unknowingly...

I believe you At this time, I have already begun to think of a line: Tutu is so cute, how can I criticize Tutu!

Well, if you can’t help but complain about the "Shuangliu Rabbit Head" in the bar, I can only say~ You win (＞﹏＜)

Rabbits on the island They are all wild and do not have fixed breeders or artificial shelters. The only thing provided for the rabbits is a small basin filled with fresh water at intervals along the road.

No matter where you are, rabbits will jump over and rub their fur and legs to beg for food. They are not reserved at all.

Because I had done my homework before, I bought two large bags of carrots at the farmers’ supermarket in the city in advance. I was a little worried that the carrots eaten by humans would be a bit too big for rabbits, but... that's just because I have never experienced the energy and "brutalness" of the cute rabbits here chewing radishes and grabbing them. ..⊙﹏⊙

If you don’t hold on to your carrot tightly, you will be suddenly yanked hard by one of the scheming girls/boys among the rabbits in front of you at any time, and then quickly jump to a corner of the bush and hold it. Eat alone (嘤嘤嘤嘤嘤~? (┯_┯)

Although the rabbits will actively run over to surround you, stand up hard, and even climb on your lap (they also work very hard to eat) , but most of these wild rabbits don’t want to be touched (defensiveness + a little bit arrogant). Often you will see them chewing vigorously and tentatively touch their ears or furry backs, and the rabbit sauce will be amazing. Use a lightning-fast kick to "bounce" it away~ It really bounces away. Sometimes you don't even have the tendency to touch it, and it will "bounce" nervously after taking two bites out of instinct. Open it, and then slowly come back to take a bite.

So, to be able to properly touch the rabbit sauce, you need to pay attention to skills (such as deliberately lifting the food high to let it touch the fleshy front paws). They will naturally rest on your hand to reach for food). On the one hand, it is also a matter of luck to meet one or two docile and special relatives. Remember, they are always wild rabbits in nature. If you really don't want to, don't do it. The big ones bully the small ones and do it hard (show your hands~)

The rabbits’ love of digging holes is clearly displayed on the island. There are deep and shallow holes dug by them everywhere. When they are full, they will lie down with their whole bellies. In the shallow pit (probably because it feels very safe?), the two long hind legs are turned sideways and "lying down" in an enchanting manner, ah~ tsk tsk~

I can't help but want to pull Maomao. The little tail /p>

Speaking of its origin, we actually have to mention a dark history.

During World War II, Okunoshima was not as peaceful and prosperous as it is today. "The Lost Island"; its geographical environment surrounded by the sea is convenient for hiding, so it was used by the Japanese militarist government to develop and manufacture chemical weapons (mustard gas, pepper gas, tear gas, etc.). Due to the involvement of military secrets, the location is extremely confidential to the outside world , the buildings are also covered with camouflage, making them difficult to detect from the outside.

To this day, it still looks heavy when you come to the island...

There is a poison gas museum on the Internet that restores this history. If you are interested, you can learn more about it.

After the war, the poison gas factory was dismantled and the poison gas was destroyed. The remaining buildings and forts were preserved as war relics. , to warn future generations. The rabbits that were once raised for poison gas testing were completely freed after the army withdrew, and returned to the wild countryside due to their strong reproductive ability, and gradually occupied this uninhabited place. island.

During peacetime, the local tourism department spotted this special location and did some follow-up construction on the island to develop it into a leisure resort island, restoring the area that had been designated as a national park before the war.

Now Okunoshima is definitely a good place for family travel. Many families bring their children, and all kinds of food are fully prepared so that the little friends can have close contact with Rabbit Sauce. You can often see such very loving scenes.

Do you know what this is?

Unique sound collector.

Standing below allows you to feel the rabbit's hearing. The sound of waves, whistles, whistling wind, chirping of birds and insects...

The authorities have thoughtfully prepared four different heights so that people of different ages and heights can have fun. A chance to experience the world that Rabbit hears.

Around the Seto Inland Sea, there is a soft sea breeze and warm sunshine. Climb up the hill on the side of the island and look through the trees at the vast ocean and the undulating islands on the sea. The light shines down one by one through the clouds... The sea water has its own Japanese color.

The atmosphere on the island is very laid back. There are not many tourists here, and there are even fewer people after you leave the pier and walk further. Everyone is leisurely, riding bicycles, playing with rabbits patiently, and cooking food in a place where you can camp and set up tents. It is a complete atmosphere of slow life~

There is also a rabbit museum on the island, which contains There are many small handicrafts related to rabbits, children’s rabbit brush paintings, the cute moments of rabbit sauce captured by photographers, etc...

The most wonderful thing about being on the island is that there are Rabbits jump out from corners and from between trees, greeting you with their cute little eyes~

The only enemy of the rabbits on the island is the crow. When crows are around, rabbits tend to panic and hide nearby. When you see some rabbits with broken ears, injured eyes or even blindness, they are basically attacked by crows.

I especially like the way the rabbits keep chewing with their little mouths, they are so cute~

It’s just...another rabbit who picked up a whole carrot and ran away. …

This is Okunoshima Kyusuka Village, and it is also the only hotel on the island that can accommodate tourists overnight. Upon check-in, you will be thoughtfully given a card that allows you to rent bicycles, fishing equipment, badminton, etc. for free, as well as a cup of rabbit food. The room is also filled with rabbit decorations, and even the wallpaper is made of rabbits, so friends who like Bunny Sauce but are not in a hurry can definitely experience it.

Outside Xiuxia Village is a large grassland with coconut trees. When there are not enough people to feed them, the rabbit eaters, who seem to be unwilling to give up after eating as much as they want, are busy gnawing the turf collectively in the open space where a small layer of green has just grown in spring.

The picture is so beautiful (≡ω≡

Wait, I feel like something has messed up...

Who are you!~ What do you want to doヽ( ≧Д≦)ノ~~~~~

Okay, okay, Master of the Rabbit Star, you are the biggest... All the radishes belong to you and I will listen to you...

Come to the Rabbit Island in the Seto Inland Sea and play with うさぎちゃん(≧ω≦)/ !