Hashima Island

Hashima Island is an abandoned industrial complex off the coast of Nagasaki, Japan, where residential and mining structures stand tightly packed on a narrow stretch of land. Concrete apartment blocks rise directly above the seawalls that protect the ground from the waves, forming a dense network of stairs, walkways, and flat rooftops.

Mitsubishi Corporation acquired the site in 1890 to extract coal from undersea deposits, and the settlement grew steadily over the following decades until the complete shutdown in 1974. The closure followed the nationwide shift away from coal, which turned many mining towns into ghost settlements across the country.

The island functioned as a self-contained community where miners and their families lived, worked, and spent their free time within a few hundred meters, forming a close-knit society surrounded by the ocean. Today, the abandoned rooms and corridors recall those daily routines, where neighbors shared hallways and children played between the buildings.

Access is restricted to guided boat tours departing from Nagasaki, which take about 50 minutes to reach the designated viewing platforms, while most of the structures remain off limits due to structural decay. Tours are canceled when weather or sea conditions are rough, so it helps to plan extra days for a potential visit.

The settlement once held one of the highest population densities on earth, exceeding 800 people per hectare at its peak in the late 1950s. This extreme crowding shaped everyday life, where every room and corridor was filled with residents going about their daily routines.