How to Draw a Cute Bunny (Rabi the Rabbit) — Step-by-Step with Drawing Song
Ever wished drawing could be as easy and cheerful as singing a catchy childhood song? Meet Rabi the Rabbit, the iconic mascot from Japanese illustrator Sachiko Umoto’s beloved Illustration School! With just a handful of soft pencil strokes and delicious bakery metaphors—like raisin eyes, baked roll ears, and a loaf-of-bread tummy—you’ll have an adorable kawaii bunny hopping across your page in under 10 minutes.
The beauty of Sachiko Umoto’s doodle philosophy is that “learning begins by imitating.” There is no need for complicated anatomy or realistic proportions. By breaking the character down into simple, relatable kitchen shapes accompanied by a rhyming drawing song, artists of any age—from total beginners to seasoned journal doodlers—can capture that cozy, whimsical storybook charm effortlessly.
Try out our Interactive Draw-Along Studio below! You can sketch directly on your touchscreen or desktop, toggle the Ghost Trace Guide to keep your lines steady, and save your finished bunny drawing right to your device.
Quick Tutorial Card 📋
Skill Level: Easy (Level 1)
Estimated Time: 8–10 Minutes
Technique: Japanese Kawaii Doodle
Supplies: Soft 2B Pencil / Felt Pen, Pink & Green Colored Pencils
Key Focus: Low-set facial features & sweet bakery proportions
🎨 Interactive Draw-Along Studio: Rabi the Rabbit
Prefer practicing directly on your tablet, iPad, or computer screen? Draw along using our in-browser Interactive Draw-Along Studio! Toggle traceable reference lines, select curated color swatches, and download your finished artwork:
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Step-by-Step Drawing Guide (The Rabbit Song) 🎵
In Japan, drawing songs (oekaki uta) are a time-honored way to teach art to children. By chanting along to each step, muscle memory and imagination connect seamlessly. Here is the complete breakdown of the song with detailed artist tips:
Step 1: Raisins, I Found Three 🍇
“Raisins, I found three / Draw the shape of the face and some black round dots for the eyes and nose.”
Begin by sketching an oval for the head. Make it slightly flat on the bottom and rounder towards the crown. Now add three dark round dots: two wide-set eyes and one tiny nose placed right in the center lower half. Kawaii Secret: Keeping the eyes and nose grouped closely in the lower third of the head gives the character that innocent baby-animal look!
Step 2: Carve the Bread Lines 🍞
“I carve a few lines in my bread / Draw lines that extend to and connect the mouth and nose.”
From the bottom point of the nose triangle, draw a clean vertical stroke straight down, then curl it outward into an inverted ‘T’ or gentle cat-like mouth split. Keep these lines fine and delicate so Rabi’s smile feels soft and approachable.
Step 3: Fresh Rolls Baked Golden Brown 🥖
“Fresh rolls baked golden brown / Draw the ears tilting sideways from the center of the top of the head.”
Now give Rabi those signature tall bunny ears! Draw two elongated oval loops that tilt outwards like a gentle ‘V’ from the top of the skull. Next, shade two soft, textured blush circles onto both cheeks. In Sachiko Umoto’s style, a little pink colored pencil smudged on the cheeks brings the sketch to life instantly.
Step 4: Hot Sandwich Bread Loaf 🥪
“One loaf of sandwich bread hot out of the oven / Draw a long, slim body.”
Underneath the chin, sketch a slender upright cylinder shape. Notice how the body isn’t a round ball—it has long, straight vertical sides that round gently across the bottom tummy. This upright posture makes Rabi look attentive and ready for adventure.
Step 5: Stomp the Ground with Feet 🐾
“Stomp the ground with my feet / Draw legs with large feet.”
Extend two vertical parallel leg lines downwards from the lower tummy. When you reach the ground, flare them outwards into large, flat stomper feet. Giving cartoon rabbits big feet anchors them to the ground and makes them look endearingly clumsy.
Step 6: Clenched Little Fists & Arms 💪
“Double your fingers and clench your fists / Draw the arms extending from both sides of the body.”
Add two energetic little arms arching out from the shoulders. At the tips, draw rounded clenched fists turned slightly inwards towards the torso. This confident, determined pose gives Rabi that brave little anime personality!
Step 7: Fluffy Tail — Rabi is Done! 🎉
“I see your tail, you’re Rabi the Rabbit / Once you’ve drawn the tail, you are done!”
The final finishing touch is a round cotton puff tail peeking out from behind the right hip. Just a simple semicircle loop completes the outline. Step back and admire your handiwork—you’ve just drawn your very own Japanese storybook rabbit!
Fun Bunny Action Poses to Practice 🏃💨
Once you’ve mastered Rabi’s standard standing pose, try giving him life and emotion! By shifting the angle of the ears, bending the spine, or squinting the eyes, you can sketch an entire storybook scene:
1. Jump! 🌟
Add a tiny shadow shadow dot below the feet to show air time.
2. Zzzzz (Napping) 💤
Fold the ears flat backwards and curl the loaf body horizontally.
3. Munch! 🥕
Draw squinting > < eyes and tuck both paws tightly holding a snack.
4. Hmnnn… 🤔
Raise one hand to the temple and close one eye thoughtfully.
5. Long Hard Stare 👀
Hide the body behind tall meadow blades with just the face peeking.
6. Thump Thump! 🥊
Angle the feet in motion and clench boxing paws with motion lines.
Cute Bunny Variations to Try 🎨
The basic Rabi template is a canvas for your imagination! Here are three charming variations straight from the artist’s sketchbook:
Pandarabi 🐼
Color dark black patches around the eyes and a belly belt across the middle. Half bunny, half giant panda!
Droopy Ear Lop 🎀
Instead of upright ears, draw long floppy ears drooping down beside the cheeks. Add a cute ribbon bow on top!
Classic Pencil Shaded ✏️
Use a soft 2B pencil or graphite stick to fill the cheeks, torso, and inner ears with cozy hand-drawn cross-hatching.
Ready to Create Your Own Rabi? 🎨
Hop back up to our Draw-Along Studio above, pick your favorite brush color, and practice drawing Rabi step-by-step. Don’t worry if your first sketch looks a little wobbly—in Japanese illustration, organic hand-drawn wobble is where the real charm lives!
