Japan’s deserted island

“Hashima is more than just an island. It’s an allegory of Japan’s industrial era, where labor and harsh conditions blend with the spirit of survival.”

Researcher and author Katsuya Ishikawa

Abandoned for 45 years and left only with a deeply tragic history, Hashima Island (also known as Battleship Island) holds its own authentic and undisturbed beauty. Situated nine kilometres from Nagasaki, Kyushu in southern Japan, the island has an intense past of being a mecca of coal and currently catches tourists’ attention. Being a symbol of the rapid industrialization of Japan, Hashima stands as a memorial landmark that reminds people of Japanese war crimes that forced labour during the Second World War. Hashima was famous for its undersea coal mines established in 1887 and operated during the industrialization of Japan. The island was once habituated with a population of 5,259 in the year 1959. Years later, the coal reserves underwent depletion, mines were closed, and all residents need to clear and leave the island. This results in Hashima being inhabited and it was effectively deserted for the following three decades.

The popularity of Hashima Island was increased since CNN Travel featured the island in their 2019 article titled “10 of the freakiest places around the world”. This recognition has resulted in an initiative for its protection as a site of industrial heritage. The widespread attention towards Hashima spiked up during the 2000s for its undisturbed historic ruins which gradually become a tourist attraction. It was open to the public with certain regulations in April 2009. Exterior walls that collapsed were restored to attracts tourists. The coal mine of the island was formally approved as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2015 as part of Japan’s Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining although it was opposed by South Korea at first.

Battleship Island comes from the word Gunkanjima in which Gunkan means warship and Jima means island. Historically, coal was discovered on the island in the year of 1810, and it was inhabited until 1974 as a seabed coal mining facility. Mitsubishi Goshi Kaisha. A mining company bought the island in 1890 and began the activities of undersea mines, while seawalls and land reclamation were constructed. There were four main mineshafts in which one of them is connected to the neighbouring island. From the year 1891 until 1974, it was estimated that 15.7 million tons of coal were excavated. By the year 1916, the company has built Japan’s first large reinforced concrete building, a seven-floor miner’s apartment block to accommodate burgeoning ranks of workers. Concrete was used to protect against typhoon destruction. After 55 years, more public’s facilities were built such as school, cinema, hospital, community centre and townhall. However, during the Second World War, conscripted Korean civilians and Chinese prisoners of war were forced to work under very harsh conditions along with ferocious conduct towards them at the Mitsubishi facility as forced laborers under Japanese wartime mobilization policies. It was estimated that 137 conscripted labours died on the island due to various dangers, underground accidents, exhaustion, and malnutrition. Back then, miners need to spend 20 minutes traveling 3,000 feet below sea level in over 100-degree Fahrenheit temperatures each day. One of the miners recalls backbreaking works that made him collapse due to exhaustion at the end of day. In 1960s, petroleum has replaced coal in Japan, and all coal mines begin to shut down gradually across the country. Mitsubishi mines were officially closed in January 1974, and it was recorded inhabitants on April 20 of the same year.

The remaining notable features that can be seen today in Hashima is the concrete apartment buildings surrounded by sea walls that have distinctive profile shape. The island has been administered in Nagasaki province and merged with the former town in Takashima in 2005. It was reopened on April 22, 2009, after completing 35 years of closure.

Hashima has a lot of places to be discovered, although you will only see grey and brown concrete. Arriving at Dolphin pier, you are going to see how big is Hashima concrete wasteland. The size of the island tripled as of land reclamation and the construction of the sea wall. The reinforced building on the island looks like a ruined swimming pool although it functions to resist strong typhoons. Besides concrete and all paved road in Hashima, there is a rooftop garden with white flowers blossomly creating a calm and serene view. Although somehow Hashima was known as “Midori nashi Shima” translate to ‘the island without green’ as it lacks vegetation during the year the coal island was liveable. The flora flourished when it was abandoned for three decades.

There are some regulations that need to be acknowledged before visiting Hashima. These regulations are important for safety reasons. Tourists cannot visit Hashima on their own as the buildings are at risk of crumbling and the government has mandated that tourists can only visit as part of an authorized group. Another reason for this rule is due to the weather conditions, the island is surrounded by treacherous waters, when a slightly rainy, cloudy, and windy day influence the visibility and creates harsh waves. Moreover, Gunkanjima is not for the faint of heart, the journey will be hard for motion sickness and seasickness, and sometimes, admittance also can get declined due to physical condition. There is also an entrance fee to support preserving the beauty of Hashima island. Finally, tourists can stay on the island for only 60 minutes long. There are a few companies that give a tour to Hashima like Yamasa Shipping Co. Ltd., Gunkanjima Concierge Company, and Gunkanjima Cruises.

The distinctive features of Hashima are worth seeing although it is considered unsafe to the public. As of 2014, it was reported that over 500,000 people have visited the island. Moreover, it has become a setting for documentaries, TV features and movies due to its popularity and derelict buildings.