Gunkanjima's Instagrammable Scenery

This video is "Gunkanjima (Hashima) 4K vide (軍艦島（端島）4K映像)" produced by "Nagasaki Travel" (長崎観光).

There are many famous sightseeing spots and scenic spots in Nagasaki, but one tourist attraction that has been attracting more and more attention in recent years is Gunkanjima, a Heritage Site of Nagasaki's Industrial Revolutionary.
In this video, we'll introduce the role played by Gunkanjima in Japan's industrial revolution, and the current situation of the island in beautiful 4K images.

Nagasaki was only open to the west during the isolation period (around 1185 AD to 1333 AD).
Traders who moved to Nagasaki at the end of the Edo period brought with them the latest technology to modernize Japan.
One such shipbuilding technique led to great advancements in Nagasaki.
One of the assets that contributed to Japan's industrial revolution is the World Cultural Heritage site Gunkanjima.

As the powerful name “Gunkanjima” indicates (軍艦- Gunkan "Warship," 島- jima "Island"), the gorgeous scenery that shines on the ocean is so powerful that it overwhelms onlookers.
It is extremely popular with young people as a sightseeing spot for taking Instagram photos.
You can see its powerful appearance in the video.
Please enjoy the beautiful, historical "Gunkanjima."

Mistakenly Bombed as an Actual Warship?

Photo：View of Gunkanjima

Hashima, the official name of Gunkanjima, is an uninhabited island floating in the southwest sea of Nagasaki Port.
From the Meiji era (1868 to 1912 AD) to the Showa era (1926 to 1989 AD), it became the base island of the "Mitsubishi Hashima Coal Mine," that did undersea mining in the area.
One isolated island off the coast of Nagasaki was transformed into an island that symbolized the industrial revolution of modern Japan.
Eventually, a series of large coal-drilling plants began popping up, and housing and related facilities were built to house the miners and their families.

Because these structures look like warships from a distance, it came to be called "Gunkanjima."
Atstands out from 1:00 in the video, you can see the island's awesome appearnce.
There is a story about the U.S. military mistakenly bombing Gunkanjima Island during the Pacific War because they thought it was a warship.

Also, those facilities, show at 0:30 in the video, now remnants of the Meiji Industrial Revolution, symbolize the Japanese coal industry and culture from the Meiji period to the early Showa period, that took place on Gunkanjima.

The Forgotten, Ruined Island Remembered as a World Heritage Site

Photo：Gunkanjima

During the coal industry's peak, Gunkanjima exceeded the population density of Tokyo.
However, the mines were hollowed out and abandoned after the war. Gunkanjima was closed later, in 1974. It turned into a ruined island with no population and a cluster of dilapidated buildings with exposed rebar, and it became a no-go zone due to danger of collapse.

Gunkanjima, which had been forgotten for a while, has come into the spotlight in the last few years.
The robust image of "warships" that gave it its name, and the recent "ruin boom" that made it the setting for films such as 007, attracted a lot of attention.

In 2015, Takashima Coal Mine and other surrounding facilities were registered as world cultural heritage sites, and the public's interest in Gunkanjima increased dramatically. It is now popular as a famous tourist attraction in Nagasaki where you can experience the history of modern Japan.

The only way to get to Gunkanjima is boat. Many Gunkanjima cruise tours are organized by Gunkanjima Concierge, and you can also land on Gunkanjima if the weather is nice.
In 2019, landings were temporarily banned due to the detection of fiber materials suspected of asbestos, but it has now been reopened.

Japanese Landscape Culture Tours

Photo：Flower garden at Huis Ten Bosch

Among the historic tourist destinations of Nagasaki, Gunkanjima has become one of the top sightseeing spots in Japan's landscape culture tours due to its newfound scenic beauty and its rarity of being inaccessible in certain weather conditions.
The area around Nagasaki's Gunkanjima has some fascinating hidden gems that attract tourists not only for the scenery but also for the food.
We recommend gathering information in advance and planning your trip carefully, including hotels, accommodations, and accessibility.

The sightseeing spots you'll want to visit once you arrive in Nagasaki are "Mt. Inasa," "Huis Ten Bosch," "Nagasaki Electric Railway (tram)," "Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum," "Nagasaki Biopark," "Glover Garden," "Unzen Jigoku," "Nagasaki Penguin Aquarium," “Nagasaki Ropeway," "Kujuukushima Pearl Sea Resort," "Peace Memorial Statue," "Dejima," "Unzen Hot Spring," "Megane Bridge," "Ōura Church," "Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown," and more.

Also, when you visit Nagasaki, you will find local gourmet dishes such as "Nagasaki Castella," "Champon," "Turkish Rice," "Sara Udon," "Shippoku," "Milkshakes," "Chirin Chirin Ice," "Sasebo Burger," "Lemon Steak," and "Kanzarashi".

Summary of Gunkanjima

We hope that the video has helped you understand why Gunkanjima was selected as a World Cultural Heritage Site, and the appeal of Gunkanjima as a tourist attraction.
Hopefully there are many people who were fascinated by this video and want to visit the island and see it's beauty!

Actually visiting the island is unlike anything you can experience through a video.
Gunkanjima is the hottest tourist spot in Kyushu and Nagasaki right now!

◆Overview of Gunkanjima (Hashima) ◆
【Address】Takashima-cho, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture 851-1315

【Official Website】Nagasaki sightseeing / travel portal site Nagasaki trip net
https://www.discover-nagasaki.com/

【Official Website】Gunkanjima landing cruise
http://www.gunkanjima-cruise.jp/

【Tripadvisor】Gunkanjima
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g298568-d1384788-Reviews-Hashima_Island-Nagasaki_Nagasaki_Prefecture_Kyushu.html