Hashima (Abandoned) Island
Hashima Island, 15 kilometres from Nagasaki, Japan, was once the densest human development on Earth, and today stands completely empty and abandoned.
Mitsubishi bought the island in 18901 and began using it as a coal mining facility. When space for the workers began to run out, they built Japan’s first large scale reinforced concrete apartment block on the island in 1916. More concrete tower blocks followed, and by 1959 the population of Hashima reached its peak of 5,259 – an astonishing 1,391 people per 10,000 square metres within the residential district – which is said to be the highest population density ever recorded in the world.
When petroleum began to replace coal here in the 1960s, coal production at Hashima began to decline, and Mitsubishi officially announced the closure of the mine in 1974. Today there is nobody left at all. Protected by a high sea wall, and completely off-limits to the public, the island is now an empty, rotting and collapsing ghost town, as clearly demonstrated in this fantastically eerie photo set2.
For more information on this incredible place, here’s a short documentary, an excellent in-depth story and a rather short Wikipedia page.
Thanks to George Mandis, Rob Alexandre and Eric.
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Yes, Mitsubishi has been around that long, but it turns out that name actually refers to a large grouping of independently operated Japanese companies which share the Mitsubishi brand name. ↩
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For anyone thinking this place would make a great level for a computer game… it just happens somebody already did it. ↩
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Cool post.
maybe you can do a mega post of abandoned mining towns.
There are a lot in Chile.
Most famous one is Chacabuco.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chacabuco
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomas_dinges/sets/72057594089538538/
Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth
Here is another one that look abandoned, but I don’t know what it is called.
Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth
Jumped the shark my arse!
From a self confessed know it all i have learnt one more thing today.
Fascinating.
gesh’s link is great aswell.
Here is one more Chilean town.
Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humberstone_and_Santa_Laura_Saltpeter_Works
Awesome post, keep ‘em coming!
Wow that’s amazing! Definitely a great sight!
the current most densely populated island is in Hong Kong, Ap Lei Chau… I did live there for a few years, and it’s not nearly as bad as it sounds… actually quite pleasant (in a Hong Kong sort of way!)
see here for more details:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ap_Lei_Chau
from here:
http://www.worldislandinfo.com/SUPERLATIVESV2.html
Population density
Most densely populated island
Ap Lei Chau, off the southwest side of Hong Kong Island, is the world’s most densely populated island, with 80,000 people living in 0.5 sq mi / 1.3 sq km, for a density of 160,000 per sq mi / 60,000 per sq km.
cool, love that sight
WOW!!! Now THIS is why I started coming to GSS in the first place. Those photos are absolutely incredible.
Actually the jump the shark episode taught me one thing – the meaning and history of that phrase. Keep up the good work.
Very interesting stuff O_O I liked the documentary too. Unfortunately your link to the in-depth story did not work for me… Did anyone else have this problem?
Actually it seems that Kowloon Walled City had a significantly higher population density when it was decided to destroy it in 1987: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kowloon_Walled_City
yep – this is one of the best things i’ve seen on googlesightseeing…
amazing how dilapidated everything is.. was the island ransacked when everyone departed – or is that how buildings age if they aren’t maintained?
I’m rather surprised they’re still in such good nick after 33 years exposed to the elements on a tiny island and without maintenance…
I was watching an episode of Life After People on the History Channel yesterday and they had a very cool segment on Hashima.
I can’t link directly to the video, but it can be found here:
http://www.history.com/content/life_after_people/videos
Looks like a great place for a paintball tournament.
It may be a bit off – theme, but anyone know what this amazing looking golf courdse is just off to the East?
Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth