Whenever you hear Japan, your probably think of nice streets with the smell of street food, but on this island, it is full of complicated histories.  People have left the island to let it crumble and let nature take over.

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This abandoned island sits about nine miles away from Nagasaki. Another name for this island is Gunkanjima (Battleship Island).  Hashima island once was used for undersea coal mining.  It was a representation of Japan’s rapid industrialization.  It functioned as a coal facility from 1887 to 1974.  Once petroleum started to replace coal, the mines started to shut down and people left.  Hashima Island was untounched for about three decades.  Once the island started to crumble, the island caught those interested in historic ruins.

Hashima’s past wasn’t all this simple though.

During World War II, Japanese wartime policies exploited enlisted Korean civilians and Chinese prisoners from war.  They turned into forced laborers.  They worked under harsh conditions, and it is estimated that about 1,000 workers died between the 1930s and the end of the war.  Deaths were mostly because of unsafe working conditions, malnutrition, and exhaustion.

Although the island has a dark past, tourists and visitors can be taken on tours of the island.  Even with people visiting the island often, most of the past is a mystery.  If you would like to take a “tour” of some parts of the island, click here.  There is a virtual tour created by Google.  It allows you to wander some parts of the island.  If you really want to go and buy tickets, click here 🙂 If you buy tickets please take me 😀 haha.

Thank you all for reading! I really enjoy making these posts. I hope to see you all later! Bye 🙂