Gunkanjima - Hashima Island

Gunkanjima is located on Hashima Island (translates as the border island) sitting in a cluster of over five hundred uninhabited islands not far from the famous city of Nagasaki.

What makes Gunkanjima (Gunkan means Battleship and Jima means Island) different to all the other hundreds of empty islands is that this was once a vibrant place of eight hundred and thirty five inhabitants (1959).

The story of Gunkanjima began in 1890 when Mitsubishi bought the island with a view to start using this as a base to mine coal from the sea bed. Because of the coal mining success Mutsubishi ended up building a large concrete apartment block on the island for the growing number of workers that they were employing. Over time more buildings were built to accomodate even more workers.

By the 1960's coal was being used less and less as alternative fuels were being used. Much like other coal mines in the world Mitsubishi officially closed the mine in 1974. Since 1974 Hashima Island has been deserted and the buildings left to the elements of Mother Earth with travel to the island prohibited.