Japan Road Trip: Bunny Island

So Bunny Island/ Okunoshima / Rabbit Island / Usagi Shima, is a small island off the coast of Hiroshima, accessible by a 12 minute ferry ride from Tadanoumi port. We caught the first ferry, I believe around 7:30am although the time table was pretty easy to find with a bit of googling :) The ferry cost 640 yen return, with a ferry every 30 mins - 1 hour. When you arrive at Tadanoumi port, there is a small office, where you can buy some bunny merchandise, bags of pellet (100 yen) plus a vending machine to buy your ferry return ticket - all pretty easy to do.

A little ways up the road (500 metres-ish) heading towards the train station is a family mart (convenience store). Here we picked up a couple of cups of carrots and cabbage (both 150 yen each). My advice, don't be greedy with giving out your food to the bunnies! I had a whole bag of pellets left, which I donated to a very happy girl once we arrived back to the port. Actually we were super shocked to see Tadanoumi port so busy with a huge line for the ferry! Going early is definitely key as we were able to jump straight onto the first ferry with no waiting. Arriving early also meant the bunnies were super hungry - Ben remarked that it felt like stepping into a Disney movie with bunnies eagerly hoping over to us. When we left it was near impossible to even give away our food with all the bunnies having full bellies by the afternoon and retreating away under hedges and bushes.

The small merch section at Tadanoumi port (although there is a much bigger gift shop on the island!)

The vending machine where you buy your return ferry ticket from :)

100 yen rabbit pellets, I would say 2 bags are more than enough and most importantly not to be stingy handing them out or you'll be like me with a whole bag to spare on your return.

Above is the spot the ferry dropped us off - when we were ready to leave we soon realised we needed to search for another spot as there was no ferries or people waiting in sight! The second spot was easy to find, just up around the corner, 500 metres-ish away :)

The carrot cup, I don't think the bunnies really had a preference over carrots, cabbage or pellets but it was nice to have a mix anyway :)

Okunoshima island itself (although tiny) is really beautiful - check out that water!

I loved the variety of bunnies and although some where timid others were happy to be enticed super close with food :) Honestly, it's stuff dreams are made of!

The island has a few tracks leading you up to some high points but it's still a very small island and can easily be walked in a few hours

The island does have a hotel (with food court and gift shop), historical landmarks like the remains of the gas factory (plus a museum) and an info centre.

Clever sun dial!

You can hire bikes but because the island is so small and you want to stop every second to oohh and ahhh over the bunnies I would definitely recommend doing the island on foot.

The gift shop was really cute and I ended up with one of those ceramic bunnies above (chopstick rest?!) and a cute postcard (below)

Don't throw away your memories!! :P