Ōkunoshima – The “Vanished Island”
Ōkunoshima, located in Hiroshima Prefecture, is today known as “Rabbit Island,” a popular tourist destination where hundreds of rabbits freely roam. However, during World War II, the island was removed from official maps because it hosted secret military facilities, including the production of chemical weapons and balloon bombs.
What Were Balloon Bombs?
Balloon bombs (Fu-Go) were experimental weapons developed by the Japanese military. Made from traditional Japanese paper (washi) and glued with konnyaku paste, these balloons were designed to carry explosives across the Pacific Ocean by riding the jet stream.
In theory, they could travel thousands of kilometers and reach North America. In reality, most of them fell into the ocean, though a few did reach the United States and caused limited damage.
A Personal Testimony
My grandmother worked on Ōkunoshima during the war, not as a soldier, but as a clerk handling administrative tasks.
On the morning of August 6, 1945, while she was at work, the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima—about 50 kilometers away from the island.
Despite the distance, the shockwave reached Ōkunoshima. Windows shattered in her office building, and she recalled the blinding flash followed by a powerful blast.
In Japanese, people often described that moment as “Pika-don”—“pika” for the flash, and “don” for the boom.
My grandmother passed away about ten years ago. Sharing her story now feels important, so that her memories and experiences are not forgotten with time.
A Desperate Effort
From today’s perspective, the idea of fragile paper balloons crossing the Pacific to America seems unrealistic. But in those desperate times, people believed in these projects. My grandmother often reflected that “everyone was simply doing what they could, trying to help the country, even if the plan itself was unlikely to succeed.”
Remembering the Past Behind the Tourism
Today, Ōkunoshima attracts visitors from all over the world as a peaceful and charming rabbit island. Yet, beneath its friendly image lies a hidden past—chemical weapon factories, balloon bomb production, and the personal memories of those who worked there.
Visiting Ōkunoshima is not only an opportunity to enjoy its natural beauty, but also to reflect on the complex and difficult history that shaped it.
