A family of animal lovers? Here's how to go wild without endorsing animal cruelty, writes
Eleanor Barker.
1 Rabbit Island, Okunoshima, Japan
Some animal cafes in Japan do care about their creatures, and treat them well — but others don't. Take your tourist yen to Okunoshima instead, an island near Hiroshima, home to hundreds of free-range bunnies. A cute face for a dark secret; Okunoshima Island disappeared off maps pre-World War II when the Japanese government manufactured poisonous gases here.
![Rabbit Island - Okunoshima, Japan. Photo / 123RF](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/GGLWNHPXB7MH4MIGWSLK5EBQOA.jpg?auth=a3379ddd669148582399919e9fc39bc0d92fc9b6a7f9e8f57f32206df733c71c&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
These bunnies are protected today — so you can visit them on this historical site. Be aware, bunnies get tired too; catch the early JR Tadanoumi train and pay for the round-trip ferry in Tadanoumi port. Remember to get off at Okunoshima Port 1 when docking, and on at Okunoshima Port 2 when leaving.