🗺️ Gunkanjima (Hashima Island)軍艦島(端島)

Hashima Island, commonly known as "Gunkanjima" or "Battleship Island," is an uninhabited island located 18 kilometers off the coast of Nagasaki. The island is surrounded by concrete seawalls, and its skyline is dominated by high-rise apartment buildings, giving it a shape reminiscent of the battleship "Tosa," which is how it earned its nickname "Gunkanjima." After coal was discovered around 1810, people began long-term coal mining on the island. At its peak in 1960, approximately 5,300 people lived there. The island featured Japan's earliest high-rise reinforced concrete apartment buildings (built in 1916), along with a full range of facilities such as hospitals, schools, shops, and entertainment venues like cinemas, allowing residents to enjoy a convenient lifestyle. However, as the country's primary energy source shifted from coal to oil, the largest coal mine on Hashima Island closed in January 1974, and by April of the same year, all residents had moved out, leaving it uninhabited. Today, the buildings on the island are gradually deteriorating, turning it into a complete ruin, and its unique atmosphere attracts many tourists. Additionally, several films, dramas, and music videos, including "Attack on Titan," have been filmed here, generating significant buzz and drawing more attention to the island. Since opening to visitors in 2009, Gunkanjima has offered various tour programs and was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015.

In 2015, it was registered as a World Cultural Heritage site. The travel itinerary that allows visitors to experience the island is quite popular. Although what you see are ruins, the unique and mysterious atmosphere has made it a hot tourist spot. It is also a filming location for popular anime and movies, such as "Attack on Titan" and "007: Skyfall."