At one point, over 5,000 people lived on this small island, making it not only Japan’s but also the world’s most densely populated city. It had schools, hospitals, town halls, swimming pools, shops, and cinemas – a complete set of facilities that any city should have. However, today, the island presents the image of a deserted ghost town.
The island, also known as Hashimabad, played a significant role in boosting the economy through coal mining. Over 150 years, approximately 1.65 million tons of coal were extracted from the seafloor around the island, providing electricity to India for a month and Pakistan for ten months.
Initially, the coal discovered on Hashima Island was unknown for its heating properties. However, it became a crucial resource for keeping homes warm. By 1850, Nagasaki had become an international shipping port, serving as a stopover for cargo sailing ships between the Western countries such as Great Britain and the USA, which were transitioning from sailing ships to steam engines. Coal became an essential fuel for these ships, and Takashima Island, not far from Nagasaki, became a source of coal. As demand for coal increased, the residents of the island started extracting and selling it.
In 1916, around 3,000 workers lived on the island, extracting 150 tons of coal from the ground annually. Due to the small size of Hashima Island, living space was limited. To address this, concrete residential complexes were built, but they were still relatively small for the workers. Eventually, with the decline in coal demand and the exhaustion of coal resources on the surface of Hashima Island, the focus shifted to nearby islands.
The economy of Hashima Island thrived, but it faced challenges due to harsh working conditions. The workers endured 5-degree Celsius temperatures and 95% humidity.
Despite the difficulties, many workers lost their lives, including forced laborers during World War II and before, who were made to work on the phosphate mines.
In the post-war era, Japan faced criticism for its use of forced labor camps. However, after the fall of the Japanese Empire, Japan made efforts to improve its image on Hashima Island. Facilities like cinemas, gyms, and entertainment centers were built for the workers, and these facilities were provided free of charge. However, workers were required to contribute to the island’s maintenance, and fresh water was brought from mainland Japan.
In 1960, underwater water lines were laid to connect Hashima Island to the mainland, ensuring a steady water supply. In 1961, oil started replacing coal, leading to a decline in international coal demand and affecting Hashima’s economy. The island faced further challenges from tsunamis and sea typhoons.
To protect the island, a seawall was built, but it often succumbed to the forces of nature, resulting in additional repair costs. The decline continued, and by 1970, Hashima Island was no longer profitable. In January 1974, the island was officially closed by the company, leading to the displacement of thousands of workers.
Hashima Island became a ghost town, with the government attempting to repair some buildings and officially opening it for tourism. However, reinforced concrete had deteriorated, and harsh weather conditions made repairs challenging. Only a small part of the island was repaired for tourists.
Despite the challenges, Hashima Island gained fame and attracted filmmakers. The location was used for shooting the 2009
TV series “Life After People” and the 2011 James Bond movie “Skyfall.”
Efforts were made to include Hashima Island in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, but opposition from South Korea, North Korea, and China, who criticized the forced labor history associated with the island, prevented its inclusion. Compromises were eventually made, recognizing Hashima Island’s history of forced labor in the heritage site’s documentation.
The island’s history is a unique chapter in human settlement, and while it remains a famous and intriguing location, it is a stark reminder of the challenges faced by communities in the pursuit of industrial progress.
From a distance, it appears to be a battleship standing in the sea, but in reality, it is a small city that has now become completely deserted. At one time, this small island housed over 5000 people, making it not only the most densely populated city in Japan but also in the entire world. The apartments that once stood here, their concrete now weathered and worn, still contain the belongings of the residents who, it seems, left everything behind when they abandoned this place.
Schools, hospitals, town halls, swimming pools, shops, and cinemas – Taka Shima Island had all the facilities one would expect in a city. However, today, the entire island resembles a deserted ghost town. What happened that caused thousands of people who once lived here to vanish? It is said that Japan restricted tourists from visiting this island for 35 years.
This island, known as Hashima Island, played a significant role in boosting the economy due to its coal mining. Over the past 150 years, approximately 1.65 million tons of coal were extracted from the seabed around this island, which could generate electricity not only for the entire India for a month but also for Pakistan for ten months. The coal was scattered on the land for the residents of Hashima Island, allowing them to use it to keep their homes warm.
In 1850, Nagasaki had become an international shipping port, acting as a stopover power port where international cargo sailing ships would dock. Western countries, such as Great Britain and the United States, were replacing their sailing ships with steam engines, and they needed one thing to power them – coal. When these ships arrived at Nagasaki Port, they required coal for refueling, and Taka Shima Island, not far from Nagasaki, was covered in coal. As the demand for coal increased, the people of the island began extracting and selling it.
However, the coal on the surface of Taka Shima Island eventually ran out. The residents then started extracting coal from the surrounding islands. As a result, Taka Shima Island, with its depleted coal resources, now presents itself as a deserted ghost town. Despite its appearance, the island played a crucial role in boosting the economy of Hashima Island.
Hashima Island, also known as Gunkanjima or Battleship Island, has a unique shape that resembles a battleship, hence its nickname. Located in the South China Sea, it was one of around 500 such islands in this part of the sea, all uninhabited. Hashima Island’s economy was greatly boosted by coal mining. In the last 150 years, nearly 165 million tons of coal were extracted from the bottom of the sea around the island. The island had been supplying such a vast amount of coal that, even today, it could generate electricity for the entire India for one month and Pakistan for ten months.
The residents of Hashima Island had coal scattered on the land for them, and they started cutting and using the coal to keep their homes warm. In 1916, there were around 3000 workers on the island who extracted 150 tons of coal from the ground each year. Due to the small size of Ashima Island, there was limited space for residents, prompting Mitsui Bishi to build concrete residential complexes. However, these buildings were still quite small for the workers’ living quarters.
In the early 20th century, to accommodate the growing coal demands, Mitsui Bishi decided to start proper coal mining on Hashima Island. Residences were built for workers, and a sea wall was constructed to protect the entire island from sea waves. This is why the island now looks like the shape of a ship. In 1916, there were 3000 workers living here, extracting 150 tons of coal from the ground each year.
Because of the small size of Ashima Island, living space was quite limited. Therefore, Mitsui Bishi built concrete residential complexes, but even then, the residences were quite small for the workers.
Hashima Island, also known as Gunkanjima or Battleship Island, was once a thriving coal mining community in Japan. From a distance, it appears as a battleship in the sea, but in reality, it was a small city that was densely populated.
The production of coal in Hashima Island reached up to 410,000 tons annually. In 1959, the total population of the island was only 5,200. It’s interesting to note that the total area of the island is just 11 acres, and a simple calculation reveals that there were 335 people living per acre.
Hashima had gold mines, and the working conditions were harsh, with temperatures around 5 degrees Celsius and humidity reaching 95%. Despite the challenging conditions, workers risked their lives, and during World War II and before, Chinese and Korean prisoners of war were forced to work in the phosphorous mines.
Hashima was known for its profitability, but in the 1970s, with the introduction of oil replacing coal, international demand for coal decreased. Facing difficulties like tsunamis and sea storms, protective walls were built around the island. However, due to these natural disasters, the walls often collapsed, leading to additional repair costs.
In 1970, Hashima became unprofitable, and by 1974, the company officially closed Hashima. Thousands of workers lost their jobs, and the island, once densely populated, witnessed a mass exodus. Despite its history, the island gained fame as “Ghost Island” or “Battleship Island.”
Efforts were made to open Hashima for official tourism, but the reinforced concrete structures had deteriorated, making it difficult to work in harsh weather conditions. Some buildings had collapsed, and others were on the verge of collapsing. Only a small part of the island was repaired, allowing tourists limited access.
There were requests to include Hashima Island in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, but South Korea, North Korea, and the Chinese government opposed it, expressing concerns about acknowledging the forced labor history on the heritage site. Eventually, a compromise was reached, agreeing to accept forced labor as part of the heritage site’s history.
Despite the challenges, Hashima Island’s eerie atmosphere attracted filmmakers. The island was used as a shooting location for the 2009 TV series “Life After People” and the 2011 James Bond movie “Skyfall.”