Gunkanjima: The Ghost Island That Was Once the World's Most Crowded City!

Gunkanjima, whose official name is Hashima Island, is indeed famous as a "ghost island" that was once one of the most densely populated places in the world. The island is located off the coast of Nagasaki, Japan, and holds a dark and tragic history.

History of Gunkanjima

• Beginning as a coal mine. In 1890, the Mitsubishi company bought the island to mine coal from the seabed. The island was then expanded through land reclamation and inhabited by mine workers and their families.

• The nickname "Battleship Island." Because its silhouette resembles a giant warship, the island was nicknamed Gunkanjima, which means "Battleship Island".

• Construction of concrete apartments. To protect residents from typhoons, Mitsubishi built multi-story concrete apartments in 1916. This was one of the first reinforced concrete buildings in Japan.

• Peak population and complete facilities. At its peak in 1959, Gunkanjima had a population of more than 5,200 people, making it the most densely populated place in the world at that time. It had complete facilities, such as schools, hospitals, a cinema, and even a swimming pool.

• Forced labor during World War II. During World War II, hundreds of Korean civilians and Chinese prisoners of war were forced to work in the coal mines under very poor conditions. Many of them died from accidents, exhaustion, and malnutrition. 

The End of Gunkanjima

• Energy shift. In the 1960s, Japan's energy policy shifted from coal to oil. This made the coal mine on Gunkanjima no longer economically viable.

• Mine closure. Mitsubishi officially closed the mine in January 1974, and the residents left the island a few months later.

• Became a ghost island. After being abandoned, the buildings on Gunkanjima began to collapse and be reclaimed by nature, turning it into a spooky ghost town.

Gunkanjima today

• UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although controversial because of its dark history, Gunkanjima was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015 as part of the Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution.

• Opened to tourists. The island was opened to the public in 2009, and visitors can take boat tours to see the ruins of this abandoned city. Some areas are still off-limits for safety reasons.

• Featured in films. Its popularity also increased after being used as a filming location for several movies, including the James Bond film Skyfall.