Once the ferry and passenger service was packed with tourists on the weekend and sometimes, or oftentimes rather, people had to wait for the next service to go to okunoshima because the island became too famous, first among tourist from abroad then followed by Japanese, due to the YouTube post of rabbits stampeding after a woman from Taiwan.
Now the island is taking a break and quiet again.
Since I live just one hour away by car and ferry from the island, my husband and I took advantage of it and went to the island again in winter. Almost half a year has passed and now I am eager to go back (it's easy).
Many tourists came to Hiroshima before the covid but most didn't have time to come down to the island. It will be the same from now on too after the covid case is closed (hopefully we can close the case).
So now I'm thinking about providing an online meeting on the island. That way, those who cannot come can still experience the island more intimately. Or those who are planning to come some day can prepare for that. I wonder what I can do but at least due to covid, people became much closer to online activities. I learned the technology is out there.
Here are two pics from several years ago. The baby in the picture is now six years old and attending primary school. In the other picture, kids from abroad are happy with the rabbits, feeding and playing with them. The parents must have been smiling beside them. The days like it will be back some day but let us be a little wiser and think about sustainable tourism.
