You can travel around the globe three times, visit every corner of the planet, but you cannot find a more fluffy place than Okunoshima Island. Why fluffy? Everything is simple - this is the land of rabbits and, concurrently, a great place to relieve depression through communication with new eared friends. Well, now about everything in order.
Geography
Japan is an amazing island nation, only here on countless islands you can meet all kinds of inhabitants of the fauna. And some plots of land are intended exclusively for living of certain species. For example, the rabbit island of Okunoshima.
This is a fairly small piece of land, which is located in the Inland Sea of ​​Japan, three kilometers from the city called Takehara of Hiroshima Prefecture. The total area of ​​the island is 0.7 km 2 . It is only 4.3 kilometers in diameter, and the highest point above sea level is 108 meters. The climate on the island is moderate, and the weather is quite warm. Thanks to the mountain slopes of the Shikoku and Tyugoku regions, seasonal winds do not penetrate the island.
All islands of the Inland Sea of ​​Japan are the property of the Ministry of the Environment and perform exclusively tourist functions. The Okunoshima Island is managed by the Japan Rural Association. As of 2010, the population of the island was 22 people. There are no private houses, all people are employees of the hotel complex.
History
The Okunoshima rabbit island in Japan has a rich history. The first mention of it appeared in 1129. During the reign of Emperor Heysey, these lands were used as a refuge for warriors who fought against piracy, which were active in these waters. In 1389, ships of Asikagi Muramatsu, the 3rd shogun of the Muromachi shogun, docked on the shores of the island. In the future, from time to time on this island the shoguns founded their residences, but did not stay here for a long time. The Okunoshima lands were used rather as a transshipment point for long exits to the sea.
Permanent residents on the island appeared during the time of Azuti Momoyama, around 1569. Since that time, the island has become inhabited, but the number of its inhabitants has never exceeded 5 hundred people. According to statistics from 1881, 26 people lived on the island - 3 fishing families. But this continued only until 1894. When the Sino-Japanese War began, Okunoshima Island became a valuable military target, and the construction of ten forts began here. Naturally, the locals had to leave.
During World War II, the island of Okunoshima was erased from all maps of the world in connection with the construction of secret military facilities that were involved in the production of toxic gases. Unofficially, Okunoshima is called a "poisonous island." During his stay, a military facility produced 6 kilotons of mustard and tear gas, which were used as chemical weapons.
After the defeat of Japan in World War II, all buildings that could convict the country of creating chemical weapons were destroyed, and the island itself was empty.
Where did the rabbits come from?
In this case, where did so many furry animals come from? Now the population of rabbits totals 700 individuals. All of them are happy to communicate with people, without showing the slightest fear. According to one version, rabbits appeared here when the organization for creating chemical weapons was dissolved. It is believed that animals were tested for poisons, but when it came time to “tear the claws”, the animals were released. Sounds great, but unlikely. First, all information about the existence of a chemical weapons production base was thoroughly destroyed. Naturally, experimental animals would be destroyed. Secondly, if we assume that some individuals managed to escape from the laboratories, there is a very low probability that they could establish a population due to poisoning.
Another version suggests that in 1971, Japanese schoolchildren who came on an excursion to the Japanese island of Okunoshima released 8 rabbits into the wild. They bred to such an amount.
How to get to the island?
To get to a place like Okunoshima Island, you must first come to Takeehara. And from there, take the ferry to the island. The cost of transportation is relatively low, compared with the prices of different modes of transport in Japan. Swim for about 10-15 minutes. On the island you can buy special food for rabbits worth $ 1. Or bring along vegetables that the eared inhabitants like so much.
For tourists
Annually, more than 100 thousand tourists visit Okunoshima Island in Japan. Although again they became interested only after they learned about the existence of such a large number of rabbits. On the territory of the island there is a hotel complex in which late guests can spend the night.
Arriving can play golf, on the island there is a campsite, a beach, cycling and hiking trails are equipped. The ruins of a chemical laboratory are still preserved on the island. True, it is considered dangerous to go there, only tourists are not at all afraid of it.
But the main entertainment here, of course, is rabbits. They are already so accustomed to people that they are not only not afraid of them, but with impudence in their eyes they demand an offering for visiting their holy land. Rabbits can climb into their hands, poke a muzzle into the camera lens. And if someone wants to lie down on the ground to contemplate the sky, then these fluffy tomboys, who have long forgotten what shame and conscience, will unceremoniously climb into a person, forming a living veil.
Other attractions
In addition to all these entertainments, tourists have the opportunity to visit the museum. In 1988, the Museum of Poisons was opened on the island. All the expositions are devoted to the consequences that the land suffered on the island after a person began his “chemical activity”. They will also tell and show how dangerous the use of chemical weapons is.
If someone wants to take a walk, you can book a tour at the hotel. The guide will tell the story of this island, as well as lead a secret wooden staircase to the observation platform, which is located at the highest point. It offers stunning sea views.
Man and his activities
Due to human activities on the island, flora and fauna were almost destroyed at one time. Description of Okunoshima Island often begins with the words that it is dangerous here. And this is not so nonsense. In 1996, a large-scale environmental study was conducted. The results showed that the soil is contaminated with arsenic, the level of which is several times higher than the standards.
Today Okunoshima can be found on the map and visit freely. Admire the beauty of nature, touch the harsh pages of history and even get acquainted with eared pranksters. Now the island resembles something kind, joyful and bright, although a few decades ago it was quite the opposite.