Gankajima (Hashima) ghost town in Japan: photo, description, map

All of us at least a little, but heard about ghosts, accumulations of energy of unclear origin and inexplicable phenomena. Our planet regularly gives food to inquisitive minds, stirs up interest in unusual places and phenomena, makes us go to its most remote corners. If you have a weakness for those places where life once raged, and today you can't meet anything alive, if you like to experience chills on your own skin from being in places where ghosts gather, and are ready to personally test the strength of local legends, you will like our today's journey. Packing suitcases! We are waiting for the ghost island of Gankajima (Hashima).

Our roundup  of the 10 most popular ghost towns.

There are many similar places on the planet, but each has its own history. Remember the Ukrainian ghost town called Pripyat, which was deserted due to a terrible catastrophe, but Gankajima was not destined to survive such terrible pages of history. The city began to be considered a “ghost” not at all because of a catastrophe or a deadly disease. It simply emptied in an instant, as if the last signs of life had been knocked out of its walls.

Dead Island

Japan has always been shrouded in a veil of secrets and unusual legends. This country has given the world many wonderful discoveries, and the inquisitive mind and diligence of the Japanese have long become standards of human qualities. Not all tourists go to the Land of the Rising Sun to learn the intricacies of the local culture and plunge into the wondrous world of cherry blossom traditions. Many come to the ends of the Earth to at least look at a small island from afar, which is located not far from its western coast. This is a small world forgotten by God and people called Gankajima (Hashima), in the history of which there were not so few “bright” spots.

History of the island

If you look, then Gankajima and the island can not be called. In fact, this is a reef that for a long time was unsuitable for human habitation and was not at all in the sphere of interest of the Japanese government. No one paid attention to this piece of land protruding above the surface of the water until the very moment when coal deposits were not found here.

It happened back in 1810. And from that moment on, a real confrontation began for the right to own the island and all its riches, which ended with an impressive victory for the giant Mitsubishi. It was this company that received the right to mine coal on the island, and it is her merit that everything that was created on the island is.

The coal industry developed at a tremendous pace, more and more workers were required. Accordingly, full-scale construction of residential buildings began for all those who were employed in the mining industry. It is believed that the houses on Gankajima turned out to be very strong, because the developer wanted to protect them from a possible tsunami. The same role was assigned to the impressive walls that encircle the island along its entire perimeter. In addition, the island began to expand, artificial embankments were created here and there, and its area, although slightly, nevertheless increased.

When the need for coal decreased and almost disappeared (due to the advent of oil), the population of the island began to gradually decline. According to official sources, the last inhabitant of the Japanese town left it in 1974.

Island today

Today, Gankajima resembles a ship that moored off the coast of Japan. It is no more than 15 kilometers away. Previously, the views of all those who looked at the island could intersect with the views of the island inhabitants. But today, only the empty windows of high-rise buildings look towards the Japanese coast. The huge labyrinth of concrete structures has long been completely devoid of life. A few decades ago, local residents proudly boasted of their fortress city, which looked more like a small kingdom. They had everything they needed for a full, long and happy life, and today few people remember the island.

It is interesting only to those who crave new, thrilling sensations. Thousands of tourists are looking for a way to get on the other side of the concrete walls, personally walk along the once crowded streets and look into someone's apartment.

Today it is impossible to get to the island. For visitors, tourists and others eager to see with their own eyes an unusual ghost town, its doors are tightly closed. But this does not mean that you will not be able to see with at least one eye all that is behind these walls. Not so long ago, the movie “Royal Battle” was released, many episodes of which were filmed on the island of Gankajima.

According to the official version of local authorities, trips to the island can be dangerous to life and health. For many years, while the only owner of the city was nature, many buildings and walls fell into disrepair, were destroyed under the influence of natural elements. Although many experts argue that by setting a ban on visiting the island, the Japanese want to protect this place from the so-called “black seekers” who managed to cause irreparable harm to many places on the world map where they managed to visit. After all, there are not so few lovers of various kinds of rarities and exhibits from similar places in the world. And on the black market, even trinkets brought from a ghost town can cost a fortune.

After thinking a little about the prospects, the Japanese authorities nevertheless decided to try to organize tourist excursions to the island. So far, this is possible only in small groups and only in that part of the island that has been specially restored. The plans of officials often include the idea of ​​turning the island into a full-fledged museum that would tell about the life and life of Japanese miners of the last century. But the implementation of such ideas requires considerable financial investments, because almost all the buildings of the city are in critical condition.

To obtain official permission to visit the island, you will have to negotiate with the local authorities of Nagasaki. But illegal travel can be fraught. It will not be possible to get to the island unnoticed, and everyone who is caught by the police will face a considerable fine and visa deprivation.

Those who first set foot on the island feel a certain tension in the local atmosphere. It seems that the many thousands of the city's population simply disappeared overnight. People disappeared, but the spirit and traces of their stay remained forever behind the high walls of the city. If one day you manage to become a member of an expeditionary group, somehow get inside a ghost town, believe me, you will be able to experience an indescribable feeling. Just imagine, you will personally touch history, be able to feel its centuries-old breath, become the proud owner of rare and unique photographs. Perhaps soon every tourist will get such a unique opportunity, and the ghost town will add to the list of places on the planet recommended for visiting.

How to get there

The easiest route to quickly get to the ghost island of Gankajima is by plane to the capital Tokyo, from where to the city of Nagasaki. Next, you will have to transfer to a car and overcome about 20 km of the way strictly to the south, to the place on the coast closest to the island. The rest of the way can be overcome only by boat.

Gankajima (Hashima) on the map

I also recommend to study useful information about the most interesting sights of Japan.