Memorable Rabbits — Part 1 Gomafuwa = Mofu

8/6/26

There are many cute rabbits on Okunoshima. However, since most of them have short lives, it is often the case that you never get to see them a second time.

Among the rabbits that have managed to live a long life, we often find myself picking out a favorite. In fact, quite a few people who visit Okunoshima regularly go there so specifically because of those particular rabbits.

The rabbit named Gomafuwa was one whose well-being we ourselves made sure to check every time we visited the island.

Tofu as we personally called her—was a female rabbit, and literally as fluffy as a cloud. She was actually quite old; by the time we last saw her, she might have been over five years old.

When first discovered, Mofu appeared to maintain a dominant position  within her territory; however, as the years went by, she was displaced from that status and frequently chased away. Although she seems to have given birth repeatedly, it was striking to see that in her old age, she would flee with an expression bordering on terror whenever a male approached to mate.

Nothing has been heard of her since the autumn of 2024, when the wave of mass killing began. As she was a strikingly beautiful and eye-catching rabbit, strong possibility she was one of the victims. Accustomed to receiving food from people, Mofu may well have approached the perpetrator. I cannot hold back the tears when I imagine that scene and think of the terror she must have felt in her final moments.