Visit Japan Web Gunkanjima
Visit Japan Web invites you to explore Gunkanjima, located approximately 20 kilometers from Nagasaki Port. It was a small island that served as a coal mine until 1974. With over 5000 residents, it had the highest population density ever recorded worldwide.
Every piece of land was utilized to accommodate the large population, giving the island the appearance of a massive battleship, which led to its nickname “Gunkanjima” in Japanese, meaning “battleship island”. Its formal name is Hashima.
Coal was discovered on the island in 1810. Industrial mining began in the late 1800s. As production increased, the island expanded.
Managers, laborers, and their families all inhabited the small island. The inhabitants were able to lead a relatively ordinary but fulfilling life. Half of the island in charge of the operation of the mine. The other half was for residential areas, schools, restaurants, shops, a public bath and a hospital.
In April 1974, the mine closed. The residents had to vacate Gunkanjima, abandoning the island along with all its structures. Over the following years, exposure to typhoons led to the deterioration of the residential as well as mining facilities. Due to the risk of collapsing structures, Gunkanjima was off-limits to the public. It could only be observed from sightseeing cruises that circled the island for many years.
In 2009, a new boat dock allowed sightseeing tour boats to land on Gunkanjima. Tour participants will go to three observation decks in a small area at the southern end of the island. They’ll spend approximately 45 minutes on the island with Japanese-speaking tour guides. Tours do not involve approaching the buildings closely due to the risk of collapse.
