An abandoned island of the coast of Japan, where thousands of people lost their lives, is considered one of the worlds ‘creepiest’ places as has a dark history of slavery and forced labour
If you’ve ever wondered what Earth might look like if every single person vanished, this creepy abandoned island of the coast of Japan is a fairly good example.
Hashima island lies nine miles off the coast of Nagasaki, Japan and has been reclaimed by nature, having been completely uninhabited for over 50 years now. Currently, it has a population of zero, but this wasn’t always the case and throughout its long and dark history of slavery and forced labour, has seen many unfortunate souls pass through.
Nicknamed Gunkanjima – meaning Battleship Island – due to its appearance, the island originally prospered as a coal mining location in the 1800s when rich reserves of coal were discovered. Mitsubishi bought the island and its mines in 1890 when industrialisation was rapidly growing and housed workers and their families there.
The manufacturing giants populated the island, fortifying its walls and building apartment blocks, a school, communal baths, a pool, gardens, a clubhouse and even a pachinko parlour – which is a popular Japanese pinball game that was enjoyed by the people of the island.
Salaries of those living on the island were significantly higher than those working on the mainland and so many had house equipped with the latest technology. However, conditions were tough for residents and heavy sea air mixed with fumes pumped out from the mines meant severe respiratory sickness was common.
Eventually the reserves of coal were depleted and mining was no longer possible there. As people moved away and the island became empty, the one remarkable concrete structures crumbled and nature began to reclaim the land.
In 2015, UNESCO considered listing the island as a World Heritage Site to commemorate Japan’s industrial revolution. However, many objected as they felt that Hashima’s darker history must be acknowledged.
During the Second World War, Chinese prisoners of war were brought to Hashima, along with exploited Korean immigrants, and forced to work in harsh and inhumane conditions, carrying out the most dangerous tasks within the mines. Fleeing the island was not an option and thousands starved to death and died from exhaustion.
Japan had never before recognised the islands history of forced labour and slavery and so it was only after Japanese officials agreed to do so that it was listed on the UNESCO list. However, many saw this as a monumental step backwards in the attempts at reconciliation between South Korea and Japan, who have a long and torrid history and many are still fighting for a reversal of the decision.
Laying abandoned since 1874, Hashima has gained a new life as a tourist attraction for those intrigued by its rich and sinister past. Since 2009, visitors have been able to go onto the island in tour groups. Its apocalyptic atmosphere has also attracted movie makers and the site was used to film scenes for Sam Mendes’ 2012 James Bond blockbuster Skyfall.
