A Beautiful Japanese Island Tourists Love Visiting To Feed Rabbits Has A Terrifying Secret Past

Japan is a dream destination for travelers, but there's much more to see beyond the neon lights and bustling streets of Tokyo. In fact, Japan is very affordable if you avoid its capital city, and some of its most fascinating places to visit are its smaller islands. Take, for example, Naoshima, an art island full of museums and sculptures. But another captivating island lies off the beaten path: Ōkunoshima, or "Rabbit Island," a tiny island teeming with adorable, free-roaming bunnies.

Located in Hiroshima Prefecture, Ōkunoshima is a short ferry ride from the mainland, offering visitors an unforgettable experience. The island is home to hundreds of rabbits — vastly outnumbering human inhabitants — which likely began populating the island when school children brought some rabbits to the island in the 1970s. Although it's a popular destination for animal lovers and often labeled as one of Japan's cutest travel spots, the island holds a chilling secret from its history. Ōkunoshima was once a site for the production of chemical weapons, creating a stark contrast between its playful present and a darker past.

In 1927, Ōkunoshima became the chosen location for a chemical weapons factory, producing poison gas from 1929 to 1945. Despite being a signatory of the Geneva Protocol, which prohibited chemical warfare, Japan secretly manufactured mustard gas, tear gas, and balloon bombs here, intending to use them in its military campaigns against China. The government concealed the factory's existence so thoroughly that the island was even removed from maps. The factory's secrecy came at a high human cost, too. Workers wore rubber suits for protection, but the hazardous gases often seeped through, causing severe skin, throat, and eye damage. Today, the island bears solemn reminders of this past.

The Ōkunoshima Poison Gas Museum opened in 1988 to educate visitors about this dark period. The museum features two main exhibits: One detailing the secret development of poison gas on the island and another explaining the devastating effects of chemical warfare, including its uses in more recent events. Alongside the museum, remnants of war can still be found all around the island, including artillery batteries originally built during the Russo-Japanese War and later repurposed to store poison gas during World War II. You can explore these haunting ruins on self-guided tours, offering a sobering glimpse into the past for history buffs.

To get to Ōkunoshima , take a taxi from Hiroshima City to Tadanoumi Port, where you can catch a ferry for the 15-minute ride to the island. At the port, you can purchase rabbit food to bring along, which is highly recommended if you want to win over the bunnies. The island has one hotel: Kyukamura Ohkunoshima. You can rent a bike from the hotel to explore the island, but since it's quite small, walking is also easily doable. For instance, it takes 25 minutes to walk from Ōkunoshima Beach at the southern end to the Nagaura Gas Storage Site in the north.

The rabbits are undoubtedly Ōkunoshima's  star attraction. They're unafraid of humans and will eagerly approach visitors for food, creating plenty of opportunities for close-up encounters. However, there are a few rules to keep in mind: Don't try to pick them up (they're not fans of being held), avoid feeding them on roads, and stick to rabbit-safe snacks. If you're biking or driving, keep an eye out to avoid harming them.

Beyond the bunnies, Ōkunoshima's  natural beauty is another highlight. The island is trimmed with scenic trails, and its beaches are perfect for relaxing. Plan your visit around the best times to visit Japan for ideal weather. The beach closest to the hotel has shower rooms and snack vendors during the summer months. Dining options are limited, so plan to eat at the hotel's restaurant or grab a bite at the Rabbit Café & Gift Shop near the ferry port, where you can also enjoy ice cream and pick up some bunny-themed souvenirs. Come for the rabbits, stay for the history, and leave marveling at the strange duality of the  island where bunnies playfully hop along the echoes of a darker past.