If you’ve ever wondered what the Earth would look like if every single person disappeared, this eerie abandoned island off the coast of Japan is a perfect example. Hashima Island is located nine miles off the coast of Nagasaki and has been completely uninhabited for more than 50 years. Now it is completely surrendered to nature. Currently, its population is zero, but it was not always so. It has, in its long and dark history of slavery and forced labour, seen the passing of many unfortunate souls.
The island’s nickname is Gunkanjima, which means Battleship Island. Due to its appearance, the island originally prospered as a coal mining location in the 1800s, when rich deposits of coal were discovered. Mitsubishi bought the island and its mines in 1890, and allowed the workers and their families to live there.
Construction giants populated the island and built residential facilities. The wages of those living on the island were much higher than those working on the mainland and so many had homes equipped with the latest technology. Yet conditions were difficult for residents and the heavy sea air mixed with smoke from the mines meant serious respiratory illness.
Eventually the coal reserves were exhausted and mining there was no longer possible. As people moved away and the island became vacant, the remarkable concrete structures collapsed and nature began to reclaim the land.
During World War II, Chinese POWs were brought to Hashima along with exploited Korean immigrants, and were forced to work in harsh and inhumane conditions, performing the most dangerous tasks within the mines. Fleeing the island was not an option and thousands died of hunger and exhaustion.
Abandoned since 1874, Hashima has gained a new life as a tourist attraction for those curious about its rich and sinister past. Since 2009, visitors have been able to visit the island in tour groups. After 2015 it was listed in the UNESCO list.
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FIRST PUBLISHED: May 11, 2024, 15:12 IST