• Submit A Nut
KnowledgeNuts
ADVERTISEMENT
  • Home
  • Facts
  • Finance
  • Misconceptions
  • Differences
  • Bizarre
  • Other
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Facts
  • Finance
  • Misconceptions
  • Differences
  • Bizarre
  • Other
No Result
View All Result
KnowledgeNuts
No Result
View All Result
Home Facts

Japan’s Weird Animal Islands

Japan’s Weird Animal Islands
206
SHARES
1.6k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
“Cats and monkey, monkeys and cats; all human life is there!” —Henry James

In A Nutshell

Off the main coast of Japan are two tiny islands that have becom5e home to more animals than people. Tashiro-jima is better known as Cat Island, and it’s home to about 100 people and hundreds upon hundreds of stray cats. Not too far away is Okunoshima (pictured above), which is better known as Rabbit Island. Once home to a manufacturing plant for mustard gas, the island is now populated by hundreds of tame rabbits.

The Whole Bushel

Related articles

Your Money’s New Ally: Public Banks and Their Advantages

September 25, 2023
From Loans to Lifestyle: How Bad Credit Can Impact Your Life

Gender and Finances: The Averages in Bank Account Balances

September 14, 2023

If there’s any nation that we might expect to have two complete islands that have accidentally been turned into massive petting zoos, it’s Japan. Tashiro-jima is perhaps the more well-known of the two. This small island was a popular haunt for fishermen in the 1800s, and since then it’s popularity as a home has dwindled—among humans, that is.

Now home to only about 100 human residents (with the majority of those being senior citizens), there are also hundreds and hundreds of stray and feral cats that roam the island. It started with the fishermen, who noticed the island’s then-small cat population was following them to and from work. (We’re sure it had nothing to do with their fishy catches and the promise of treats.) Soon, not only were the cats multiplying, but the fishermen were starting to use their behavior patterns to make predictions about the weather and how successful upcoming fishing expeditions were going to be.

ADVERTISEMENT

The fishermen believed that feeding the cats would bring them luck, and island residents still think that today. The cats are well cared for, but most are feral. Many are friendly, though, and will approach visitors in hopes of some food and some attention. (Somewhat strangely, keeping any of the island’s cats as pets is considered highly inappropriate.)

And more than that, the island has become a virtual cat paradise. There’s cat shrines, cat monuments, and cat-shaped buildings with ears on the roof. And there are no dogs allowed.

The other island is popularly known as Rabbit Island, or Usagi Shima. It’s been the subject of some debate as to how the rabbits originally got to the island, but now there are hundreds just waiting for some attention from the tourists that flock to the island each year. The rabbits are so tame that they’ll fearlessly approach visitors, expecting a treat or a handful of the rabbit food you can buy at a number of different stores. Cats, of course, are not allowed on this island.

Article Continued Below

More properly named Okunoshima, the island has a dark past. It was originally used as a base of operations for the manufacture of mustard gas during World War II, and many of the abandoned factories can still be seen today. Sadly, it’s this part of the island’s history that supplies one explanation for the rabbits.

According to one story, rabbits were used to test the effects of the mustard gas and other poisons that were being manufactured at the plant. When the plants were shut down after the end of the war, the rabbits were released and did what rabbits are known for.

Another, less tragic story is that a group of eight original rabbits were released by schoolchildren on a field trip in 1971.

Either way, the rabbits are making the island a tourist destination in a country that has cat cafes and dog rentals. The island (chosen for the location of the chemical plant because of its remote location and distance from the mainland should anything go wrong) now has resort hotels, golf courses, parks, and a thriving tourist economy, all thanks to the rabbits.

And, of course, the National Poison Gas Museum.

Show Me The Proof

Huffington Post: ‘Rabbit Island’ Is Japan’s Bunny-Filled Draw For Tourists
‘Cat Island’ is a feline’s purrfect paradise
‘Rabbit Island’ attracts pet-loving tourists despite its dark past
Tashirojima – Cat Island

Post Views: 1,601
Share82Tweet52
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

Your Money’s New Ally: Public Banks and Their Advantages

by Knowledge Nuts
September 25, 2023
0

  Are you tired of high banking fees and hidden charges? Public banks, government-owned institutions focusing on community benefit over...

From Loans to Lifestyle: How Bad Credit Can Impact Your Life

Gender and Finances: The Averages in Bank Account Balances

by Knowledge Nuts
September 14, 2023
0

  Managing money can be a daunting task, regardless of who you are. Did you know that there is often...

Student Financial Aid Beyond Loans

Affordable Student Housing: Your Handbook

by Knowledge Nuts
September 14, 2023
0

Finding affordable student housing can be a daunting task for many. The "Affordable Student Housing: Your Handbook" is here to...

Your Mortgage Hack for Financial Freedom

Your Mortgage Hack for Financial Freedom

by Knowledge Nuts
September 8, 2023
0

Mortgage payments can feel like a burden that lasts forever. Did you know however, that it's possible to pay down...

An Easy Financial Aid Roadmap for College Funding

An Easy Financial Aid Roadmap for College Funding

by Knowledge Nuts
August 10, 2023
0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1266t2ee7CY Heading to college is exciting, but figuring out how to fund it can be overwhelming. With "NavigatingFinancial Aid: Your...

Load More
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

Your Money’s New Ally: Public Banks and Their Advantages

September 25, 2023
Breaking the Mold: Unconventional Women’s Income

Breaking the Mold: Unconventional Women’s Income

September 25, 2023
Secure Your Summer Finances with the Best Banks of 2023

Secure Your Summer Finances with the Best Banks of 2023

September 25, 2023

KnowledgeNuts.com: Your go-to source for insightful information and financial guidance. Explore, learn, and empower your future with us.

Categories
  • Artist
  • Artwork
  • Attitude
  • Bizarre
  • Business
  • Creative Insight
  • Design
  • Differences
  • Facts
  • Finance
  • Forgotten
  • Forgotten Horrors
  • Innovation
  • Inspiration
  • Learning
  • Listicles
  • Market
  • Misconceptions
  • Other
  • Personal Finance Tips
  • Places
  • Thinking
  • Uncategorized
Tags
aid bad credit Business car insurance cash flow credit debt difference disability Education family Finance finances Financial Aid food government assistance Health healthcare help history home home loans housing how to make money how to save insurance Invest Japan jobs loan loans make money Misconceptions Money myths personal finance quick cash saving money savings side hustle side hustles student student aid Superstitions taxes
Lost your password?
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Mobile Privacy Policy
  • Mobile Terms & Conditions
  • SMS Opt-in

© KnowledgeNuts.com – A Division of Media Comms Networking.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Facts
  • Misconceptions
  • Differences
  • Finance
  • Bizarre

© 2023 KnowledgeNuts.com