Last Updated on 16th April 2024 by Sophie Nadeau
Once home to over 5,000 people, this island was the most densely populated place on earth. Hashima island was nicknamed battleship island or Gunkanjima in Japanese thanks to the fact that it resembles the form of a ship when viewed from certain angles. Today, you can visit battleship island as a day trip from Nagasaki.
Here’s your guide to how to visit Japan’s abandoned city on Gunkanjima, as well as what to know before you go.
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Why is it called Battleship Island?
Officially named Hashima Island, it was nicknamed ‘battleship island’ for the fact that it appears to resemble one when viewed from certain angles. Battleship, translates to “Gunkan” in Japanese, with ‘jima’ meaning island, therefore giving its name in Japan as Gunkanjima.
Where is Gunkanjima?
The island can be found just off the island of Kyushu in southwestern Japan. It’s around a forty five minute boat ride away (around 15 kilometres) from Nagasaki, situated at the far western tip of Japan’s main islands. The island is only a mere 480 meters long and 160 meters wide.
A history of Gunkanjima
Hashima island was once a flourishing centre of coal mining, a symbol of Japan’s progress and economic strength. However, there is a much darker history to the island, a place where wartime atrocities took place and were never properly acknowledged. Today, it stands as an abandoned crumbling ruin, being taken back by the forces of nature. Here’s a brief history of Gunkanjima:
It’s believed that coal was first discovered on Hashima island in 1810, with the first few years of coal mining production being a small side business for the local fishermen, giving an extra income.
80 years later the island was purchased by one of Japan’s largest and most powerful companies, the Mitsubishi Cooperation, who went on to start a full-scale production of mining, quickly developing and shaping the island into a site of operations. Mitsubishi would own the island for the next 100 years.
By 1887, several mine shafts were opened, enabling access to below the ground. Miners and their families were moved to the island, and there was even other facilities built on the island, including a school and hospital (by 1927 there was even a movie theatre built as entertainment for the miners!)
Quickly developing, the island became a concrete jungle. In 1916, a huge 7-storey complex was built to accommodate even more residents and it was this building which gave the island its battleship like appearance, hence gaining its nickname.
This tiny island was a powerhouse, with a production peak of 410,000 tonnes in 1941.
Despite its achievements, there is a much darker history of war time atrocities that took place on Gunkanjima. Unfortunately, the history of this wartime forced labour is failed to be mentioned on the leaflets of the island when you visit, and is also not recognised by Japan itself.
From 1939 and during WWII onwards, both conscripted Korean civilians and Chinese prisoners of war were forced to work in the coal mines. Coal mining is dangerous in itself, the forced labourers were made to work in harsh and awful conditions, while also being treated brutally at the Mitsubishi mines.
Conditions were so dangerous in fact that according to some of the records, almost 40% of the island’s population lost their lives to mining explosions. It’s for this reason that the entrance of Gunkanjima as a UNESCO World Heritage site is pretty controversial.
After the war, the situation drastically changed and improved, including pay rises for workers and the establishment of a Labour Union in 1946. There were also several more facilities built on the island for the workers to use and enjoy in their spare time.
To keep up with its growing population and coal production, almost every part of the island was built upon. By 1960, there were approximately 5,300 residents on the island, meaning that its population density was 9 times greater than Tokyo!
Having mined the land completely out of coal, by 1974 the mines were shut down and the island was evacuated, leaving it completely abandoned.
In 2009, Gunkanjima was finally opened up again for the public to visit, gaining new interest as an abandoned wonder full of intrigue it quickly became a tourist attraction. In 2015, it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and considered one of the “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution”.
Today, visitors are only allowed to go to the island with a guided tour. You can visit the crumbling buildings which are slowly being taken back by the forces of nature.
From slave labour and death, to a vibrant community, to tourist attraction, Gunkanjima is certainly unusual island where the echoes of the past still linger and haunt the concrete remains.
Can you go to Gunkanjima Island?
Yes! However, you cannot visit Gunkanjima alone due to its the instability of the island. Some of the structures are at risk of crumbling at any moment, so for that reason the government has mandated that tourists can only visit as part of an official tour group.
What to know before visiting Battleship Island
There are a few things to know before visiting the island. Firstly, you can only go as part of a guided tour. Unfortunately tours are only in Japanese but you’ll be given a thorough information leaflet detailing some of the history of the island. You won’t have any opportunity to leave the group at any time during your visit.
It’s also worth noting that tours are frequently cancelled due to weather conditions, and can even be cancelled after you’ve boarded the boat so even if you’re en route to the island there’s no guarantee that you’ll actually be able to land. You’re also not allowed any umbrellas on the island so bring a warm waterproof coat as the boat can get pretty chilly.
What happens on a Battleship Island tour?
After a brief tour of Nagasaki bay, we set out towards the sea. The first stop you’ll make is actually at Takashima Island, where the tour will tell you a bit about the history of battleship island and show a scale model replica. Unfortunately this was all in Japanese but there are lots of cats to keep you entertained!
After heading back onto the boat you’ll head towards battleship island itself. The first thing you’ll do is a tour around the island on the boat. If possible, position yourself on the left hand side as this is where you’ll have the best view of the island from.
If you’re able to land, then you’ll get off the boat and be shown to three different viewing areas. Unfortunately large swathes of the island are not safe as the buildings are at risk of collapse.
How to plan a visit
As mentioned, the only way to visit the island is now by guided tour from the bay of Nagasaki. There are only three licensed companies that can take you out to the island and all have various different starting times. They all do morning and afternoon tours (we ended up doing a morning tour as all afternoon tours were sold out)
Book at least a week or two in advance as places are limited. These are the companies which offer tours:
- Yasama Shipping
- Gunkanjima Concierge
- Gunkanjima Cruise
Although we’ve only been to the island twice, we actually have experience with two of the three companies. We originally booked through Gunkanjima Concierge but – without warning- a day before our cruise they cancelled and refunded our booking fee (through Klook- there was no explanation, just an email from Klook that we were receiving a refund for a cancelled tour).
This was not due to any weather problems as we luckily managed to get a last minute slot with Gunkanjima Cruise at the same time in which we were meant to take the original cruise! In fact, the random cancellation almost scuppered our plans entirely and so I would personally go with Gunkanjima Cruise again given the choice.
You just have to reserve a slot for your party in advance on their website and don’t need to pay anything until you should up at the ticket office on the day. When you turn up at the ticket office, you’ll have to sign a waiver and pay cash (credit card isn’t accepted).
Watch the travel video about Gunkanjima
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Charlotte is a photographer, cat lover and an avid knitter. When she’s not curled up on the sofa with her newest knitting project (and Rico her cat!) you can find her out and about on long walks. Currently living in the magical city of Edinburgh, she looks forward to travelling and seeing more of the world!