Shared similarities
“Konnichiwa, I see you’re looking for a place to stay in Hiroshima. I live outside the city but would love to show you my beautiful town of Takehara.” Daisuke’s message came just after I had found a free stay in a five star hotel in Hiroshima city through Couchsurfing, which was lucky enough, but I was also curious to meet this man and see more of the area. In no other country would I have agreed to meet a strange man in his late forties, but this is Japan and I’m here for the local adventure. On the train to Takehara I receive another message: “Would you like to go to Rabbit Island with me and feed the bunnies today?”
I got off the train at the small station, where I could easily spot Daisuke and his car. A little uncertain if I would be polite enough in my jovial western ways I walked up to him with my hands stretched out in front of me in which I held the omiyage I got him. In between handing him the gift and getting in the car I managed to observe his rocker hairdo, warm eyes and Jungle Book print loafers. We might have 18 years and some cultural differences between us, but I feel myself relaxing a bit already. On the way to the pier my insecurities about finding common ground with him are completely out the window. During this relatively short car ride, this man I just met let his guard down to the point where he shared about some of his personal hurts and dreams, and I daydreamed along with him while looking out the window. I shared some of my own experience with chasing dreams of the heart. After all, that’s what led me to this moment.
Arriving at the pier, we spot a vending machine. Daisuke asks me if I would like something to drink. I tell him I’m a big fan of the hot drinks, especially the hot apple tea. He buys me one and gets a cold brew for himself. We get some rabbit food from the little shop and board the ferry.
On the ferry we bond some more over the wryness and beauty of life. When I tell him I lost my stepfather a couple of years ago, he cries for me. When we near the island, I point out a torii gate in the distance. Daisuke laughs. “That is not torii!” We get closer and I see it’s a red docking station. I take a photo of it anyway.
Daisuke feeding the rabbits.
Available as a limited edition print.
When we arrive, we are almost immediately greeted by part of the fluffy, swiftly hopping colony that lives on the island. They must know we brought snacks. The bunnies were originally brought to the island to do testing on them during the war. When the war ended, the testing stopped but the bunnies were left behind and ended up thriving with little to no natural predators nearby. Now, it’s a tourist attraction that still has the sharp contrast of massive pieces of concrete and overgrown bunkers as a backdrop for the fairytale-like residents.
It’s a small island but we manage to explore some bits that even Daisuke hadn’t seen before, even though he comes here almost every two weeks. On the way back he asks me if he can prepare some of his famous okonomiyaki for me at his house – he had read on my profile that it’s my favourite. His house is an eclectic extension of his personality: filled with big and small musical instruments, a mannequin with a David Bowie shirt on it, all surrounded by tatami floors and shoji through which light spills into his traditional Japanese house like warm apple tea.
Daisuke’s home at the end of the day.
Available as a limited edition print.
We drink some beers and have some indeed fantastic okonomiyaki. His dream is to leave his father’s family business, travel a lot and eventually open a restaurant in Europe one day. I tell him I’ll pray for his dream to come true when he is ready. A couple of weeks later our paths cross again in Nagasaki. He quit his job and packed his bicycle to travel around Japan. He seemed very happy and calm.