Power Plant Ruins — Attraction in Takehara

The Power Plant Ruins in Okunoshima are an important historical site on the island. To reach the ruins, you have to cross a tunnel, adding a sense of adventure to the visit. There are rabbits everywhere!

This power plant has a significant history dating back to the early 20th century. During World War II, Okunoshima was used by the Japanese military as a secret base for the production of chemical weapons, specifically poison gas. The power plant was an essential facility, providing the necessary electricity to support the island’s various operations, including the chemical...

Ramshackle remains of the power plant used to provide electricity for the production of chemical weapons until 1945. The factory was a state secret, the workers were treated like slaves, make sick, and the product was a cruel weapon. Like this plant, some remains of the factory are preserved, as are the rabbits which are the offspring of the animals used for testing. The marketing of Okunoshima as "Rabbit Island" is a bit of a bait and switch. The rabbits are cute. The...

I strongly recommend renting a bike from the hotel in order to explore the island. The island is small and you can circumnavigate it at a leisurely pace and take in each of the sites. The history of this island is dark, but it’s important to see and understand and the rabbits running around the ruins of a chemical weapons...