A long time ago (I can't even remember when it was that's how long it's been), a group of us got together and made a trip to Ookunojima, also known as 'Bunny Island'. The island is pretty small but played a big role in World War ll as a manufacturing site for poisonous gas that was used mostly in mainland China. The story is actually a pretty interesting one (and Wikipedia can probably tell it better than I can). "The island was a cultivated area until the First Sino-Japanese War when ten forts were built to protect it. Because Japan was a signatory on the 1925 Geneva Protocol banning the use of poison gas, the country went to great lengths to assure the secrecy of the building of the poison gas plant begun in 1929, even going so far as to remove records of the island from some maps. The plant, constructed at the beginning of the Showa Era (1928-1945) was home to a poison-gas facility that produced over six kilotons of mustard gas.
The island was chosen for its isolation, conduciveness to security, and because it was far enough from Tokyo and other areas in case of disaster. Under the jurisdiction of the Japanese military, the local fish preservation processor was converted into a poison-gas reactor. Residents and potential employees were not told what the plant was manufacturing and everything was kept secret; working conditions were harsh and many suffered from gas exposure related illnesses.
With the end of the war, documents concerning the plant were burned and Allied Occupation Forces disposed of the gas either by dumping, burning, or burying it. The laboratory animals were set loose - hence the many rabbits today - and people were told to be silent about the project. Several decades later, victims from the plant were given government aid for treatment, and in 1988 the Ōknoshima Poison Gas Museum was opened."
The first thing I noticed about the island was how beautiful the view was. I feel like everywhere you go in Japan has the potential to be breathtakingly beautiful. This island was no different. 
"The Island now has a congress-hotel, a six-hole golf course and a small camping ground. When the tide is at its maximum or minimum, people can swim in clean water. The whole island looks a little like a petting zoo: this is because the school children who had to care for the rabbits in the laboratories set them free when the factory was demolished. Hunting these creatures is forbidden and dogs and cats may not be taken onto the island. The ruins of the old forts and the gas factory can be found all over the island; entry is prohibited as it is too dangerous. Since it is part of the Inland Sea National Park system of Japan, there is a resource center and across the way is the Ōkunoshima Poison Gas Museum."
"The Island now has a congress-hotel, a six-hole golf course and a small camping ground. When the tide is at its maximum or minimum, people can swim in clean water. The whole island looks a little like a petting zoo: this is because the school children who had to care for the rabbits in the laboratories set them free when the factory was demolished. Hunting these creatures is forbidden and dogs and cats may not be taken onto the island. The ruins of the old forts and the gas factory can be found all over the island; entry is prohibited as it is too dangerous. Since it is part of the Inland Sea National Park system of Japan, there is a resource center and across the way is the Ōkunoshima Poison Gas Museum."The joke golf course. Seriously:
We went to the museum to see what this poison gas business was all about and it was kind of disturbing. The pictures were graphic and the effects of the mustard gas weren't exactly pretty. 
Getting ideas for a Halloween costume?
Sick, huh?
We trekked around the island and found the ruins of the manufacturing plants and warehouses and gave off a creepy kind of a vibe. There were 'DANGER' signs posted everywhere and I kept my eyes peeled for deformed wildlife, although (thankfully) I never found any. 
F2, Erik & Daniel ... entering the tunnel of doom:
There was just this kind of eerie vibe everywhere.
Me, Daniel & Erik
F2 & I (his real name is Jukka but I've never called him that):
At first I was kind of creeped out, but they grew on me.
They would just jump right on your lap and chow down. It was kind of nuts.
These crazy ones climbed right in Erik's bag ... and came out with carrots. 
These two were my favorites and I kind of wanted to take them home.
We took the ferry back to the mainland and headed home after a long day of hanging out with rabbits and praying that we weren't ingesting any remnants of mustard gas during the time spent on the island. The thought that some of the gas was 'buried' as a form of disposal is a little unsettling.
I think the sun sets in the most beautiful way in Japan ...
much love
Getting ideas for a Halloween costume?Sick, huh? We trekked around the island and found the ruins of the manufacturing plants and warehouses and gave off a creepy kind of a vibe. There were 'DANGER' signs posted everywhere and I kept my eyes peeled for deformed wildlife, although (thankfully) I never found any. F2, Erik & Daniel ... entering the tunnel of doom:There was just this kind of eerie vibe everywhere.Me, Daniel & ErikF2 & I (his real name is Jukka but I've never called him that):And then there were the bunnies ... ALL of the bunnies. They were everywhere. All you had to do was sit down and rustle the bag of carrots and they started coming out of the woodwork, or in the case, out of the factory remains.
At first I was kind of creeped out, but they grew on me.They would just jump right on your lap and chow down. It was kind of nuts.These crazy ones climbed right in Erik's bag ... and came out with carrots. Maybe they have super intelligence as a result of mustard gas exposure.
These two were my favorites and I kind of wanted to take them home.We took the ferry back to the mainland and headed home after a long day of hanging out with rabbits and praying that we weren't ingesting any remnants of mustard gas during the time spent on the island. The thought that some of the gas was 'buried' as a form of disposal is a little unsettling. Tina & I on the ferry:
I think the sun sets in the most beautiful way in Japan ...much love
-tara-
xx
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