The Forgotten Island of Japan
A thriving city abandoned over 45 years ago
Have you ever revisited a previous residence? I often wonder how different my life would be had my family never moved from our first home. It was a small flat located in an unimpressive residential complex. Another young family probably lives there now.
Ask yourself this: how would it feel to return to a place that had been left desolate for over four decades?
The history of Hashima Island
Hashima Island lies to the west of the Japanese mainland, at approximately 18km from the port city of Nagasaki. It’s also known as Gunkanjima, which means ‘battleship island’, due to the resemblance. It covers an area of 6.3 hectares and is one of the more than 500 uninhabited islands in the prefecture.
Over 500 uninhabited islands. So, what makes this one special? The fact that it used to be a bustling city until the 70s.
Hashima was famous for undersea coal mining. It was bought in 1890 by Mitsubishi and subsequently developed for the workers and senior officials. In fact, Japan’s first large reinforced concrete building was built in Hashima, in 1916. The construction of a school and a hospital followed soon after. It was one of the most densely populated cities in the world, with a…
