Visit the Abandoned Hashima Island in Nagasaki

Get to know Hashima Island

Hashima Island, also known as Gunkanjima, thrived from the 19th century until its coal mine closed in 1974. The island, resembling a battleship due to its small size and tall concrete buildings, was once Japan's most densely populated area with over 5,000 residents in the 1960s. It was highly modernized, with Japan's first reinforced concrete high-rise buildings and the earliest underwater pipelines. Despite becoming uninhabited, Hashima Island was designated a Unesco World Cultural Heritage site in 2015. Today, visitors can take tours to explore certain parts of the island and its history.

Hashima Island: Access information

The only way to visit Hashima Island is by joining a guided tour, most of which depart from Nagasaki Port. Here are the transportation options to reach Nagasaki Port:

• By Tram: From Nagasaki Eki-mae Station it’s a 3-min tram ride towards Sofukuji Station; get off at Ohato Station
• By Bus: From Nagasaki Airport it’s a 40-min bus ride to Ohato Station

Check the weather before joining the tour

The ability for sightseeing boats to land on the island is determined by Nagasaki City regulations, requiring wave heights below 0.5 meters, wind speeds below 5 meters per second, and visibility above 500 meters. However, the captain may still decide it is unsafe to land. As a result, boats can only land on the island on about 100 days per year.

Know before you go

Before joining a tour to Hashima Island, visitors will have to check the following precautions and submit a liability waiver.

• Wear comfortable walking shoes like sneakers; high heels are not allowed.
• For safety reasons, umbrellas are prohibited on the island. Bring a raincoat or poncho for rain, or use the rainwear provided on the boat.
• Open deck seats may get wet from rain or waves; passengers will be asked to move indoors if deemed unsafe by the captain.
• Drinking alcohol and smoking are prohibited on the island.
• There are no restrooms, electricity, vending machines, or other facilities on the island. You may bring non-alcoholic drinks and must take your trash with you.
• The island's geographical features make it cold in winter and pose a risk of heatstroke in summer.
• Passengers with chronic illnesses may feel unwell on the boat; the tour operator will determine if they can board.
• Children under three years old are not allowed on the boat.
• Entry is restricted to designated tour areas, and all instructions from staff must be followed.
• You may freely take non-commercial photos and videos on the island. However, avoid recording the tour guide’s narration and filming any videos shown on the boat.

Highlights of Hashima Island

There are several tour options for visiting Hashima Island, with each tour typically allowing about 40 to 50 minutes on the island. The visit includes stops at the pier, three observation squares, and an observation path, where guides will explain what life was like for the island's former residents. Additionally, the sightseeing boat will circle the island either before or after landing, providing views of the tall residential buildings that are inaccessible from the island itself.

Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution around Hashima Island

The highlights of the Hashima Island tour are not limited to the island itself. During the journey, you can see other remains from Japan's Industrial Revolution during the Meiji Period (1868-1912.)

• Giant Cantilever Crane: With a 150-ton lifting capacity, this massive crane has been in operation for over 110 years and is still used for loading large items like aircraft propellers.
• Mitsubishi No. 3 Dry Dock: Operating since 1905, this large dry dock is used for repairing and maintaining ships, with original electric motors and drainage pumps still intact.

The sightseeing boat also passes near Kamino Island, where many Christians hid during the early Edo period (1603-1868.) You can see Kaminoshima Church and a large statue of the Virgin Mary. Depending on the tour, you might also visit Takashima, another World Heritage site, before arriving at the island.

Dolphin Pier

The Dolphin Pier is the initial landing point, constructed by driving piles into the shore without a breakwater. Originally completed in 1954, it was twice destroyed by typhoons. It was improved and rebuilt in 1962, remaining in use until the closure of the mine around 1974. To accommodate wave heights and tidal changes, the gangway is designed to be adjustable for both upward and downward movement.

First Observation Plaza

On Hashima Island, following the educational paths will lead you to the First Observation Plaza. During its peak, the Hashima Elementary and Junior High School accommodated over 1,000 students in a seven-story building with the island's first elevator. The largest residential structure, Building No. 65, built from 1945 to 1958, exemplifies modern residential architecture of the time. It housed the Hashima Daycare Center on its top floor, featuring an indoor Japanese garden, though access was only via stairs.

Second Observation Plaza

At the Second Observation Plaza, you will find the entrance to the main mine shaft, known as the "Second Vertical Shaft." Here, you can view the pier used for accessing the shaft and the remains of the General Affairs Office, once the island's administrative center. Miners descended rapidly 600 meters underground under extreme conditions, working eight-hour shifts in temperatures of 47 degrees Celsius and humidity levels reaching 90-100 percent.

Other attractions at this square include the "Seawall" and historic underwater tunnels dating back to Japan's Meiji period (1868-1912,) which are currently not accessible to the public.

Third Observation Plaza

In the last accessible area, the Third Observation Plaza, you can see Building No. 30, a seven-story residential complex completed in 1916, notable as Japan's oldest reinforced concrete high-rise structure.

Nearby, Building No. 31 was home to a post office and barber shop. Building No. 30 is currently at risk of major collapse due to strong winds in 2020 and ongoing weather damage. Many other structures on the island exhibit significant decay, showcasing a stark contrast between their past grandeur and present state.

Boat tours to visit Hashima Island

A few companies operate tours to the island. Since the landing time and sightseeing spots are regulated by Nagasaki City, each company’s itinerary is similar. Differences include the departure point, pre-landing activities, and alternative plans if landing is not possible.

The following sections compare each tour option, including check-in times, tour duration, boat type, costs, and availability of online reservations in English. Note that in addition to the tour fees, visitors must pay a landing fee of JPY 310 and JPY 150 for elementary school students.

Gunkanjima Concierge

Gunkanjima Concierge also operates the Gunkanjima Digital Museum, where visitors can experience VR technology and view the latest images of areas on the island that are not open to the public.

Their sightseeing boat, Jupiter, can accommodate 199 passengers and offers three types of seating options with different prices: standard unreserved seats on the first floor, premium reserved seats in the center of the second floor, and super premium reserved seats by the windows on the second floor with priority landing.

If landing is not possible due to weather or other factors, the tour will be changed to a Circumnavigation Tour. The boat will sail around the island with commentary, and the price difference will be refunded.

Gunkanjima Concierge
Tour duration: 1-2 hrs
Check-in time: Morning departure 9:00 a.m.-10:05 a.m.; afternoon departure 10:30 a.m.-1:10 p.m.
Fee: From JPY 5,000 (includes museum admission)
Check-in location: Gunkanjima Digital Museum
Official website: https://www.gunkanjima-concierge.com/

Seaman Shokai

Seaman Shokai's tour guides, who once lived on Hashima Island, also serve as directors of the non-profit Gunkanjima World Heritage Registration Association. Their sightseeing boat, Saruku II, can accommodate up to 120 passengers but usually does not reach full capacity. After the tour, guests receive a landing certificate and original souvenirs like a small piece of coal. The staff also takes group photos during the landing.

If landing on the island is not possible, the tour changes to the Gunkanjima Circumnavigation and Takashima Landing Course, which includes a visit to the Coal Museum and a model explanation of the island's historical appearance. Note that this tour does not accept children under six years old.

Seaman Shokai
Tour duration: 2.5 hrs
Check-in time: 10:30 a.m. (morning departure); 1:40 p.m. (afternoon departure)
Fee: JPY 3,900 (cash only)
Check-in location: Tokiwa No. 2 Pier
Official website: https://www.gunkanjima-tour.jp/ (in Japanese only)

Gunkanjima Landing & Cruise

With the Landing Tour offered by Gunkanjima Cruise, visitors first board a high-speed boat that can accommodate 200 people and head to Takashima for a 30-minute stop. At Takashima, you can visit the Takashima Coal Museum before continuing to Hashima Island for a landing and a boat tour around the island.

This tour does not accept children under four years old, and payments are only accepted in cash. If landing on the island is not possible, guests will receive a souvenir instead of a refund.

Gunkanjima Landing & Cruise
Duration: 3 hrs 10 mins
Check-in Time: Morning departure 9:10 a.m.; afternoon departure 2:00 p.m.
Fee: JPY 3,600 (cash only)
Check-in location: Gunkanjima Cruise office, Nagasaki Port Motofuna Pier
Official website: https://www.gunkanjima-cruise.jp/en/

The Seventh Ebisu Maru

The Seventh Ebisu Maru is a tour operated by local fishermen using a fishing boat that also offers trips to fishing spots around Hashima Island. Its main feature is the departure and return location, Nomo Port, which is only a ten-minute journey to the island, unlike the longer trip from Nagasaki Port. However, getting to Nomozaki Port from JR Nagasaki Station requires a 50-minute bus ride plus walking, totaling about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

The tour cost varies depending on the number of passengers, making it more affordable if there are 15 to 20 people on board. Listening to a guide who once lived on Hashima Island share their experiences in the intimate setting of a small boat is a unique and valuable experience.

Seventh Ebisu Maru
Duration: 1.5 hrs
Departure and arrival times: Morning departure 10:00 a.m./arrival 11:30 p.m.; afternoon departure 3:00 p.m./arrival 4:30 p.m.
Fee: JPY 24,000 for 1-4 people (per boat)
Check-in Location: Nomo Port
Official website: http://www.7ebisumaru.com/cruise/ (in Japanese only)

Discover Hashima Island

Hashima Island was once a thriving coal mining site that symbolized Japan's industrial history and urban decay. Be sure to book a boat tour to this eerie island during your next trip to Nagasaki.

Explore more of Japan by using one of the many different transportation passes.

*The information in this article, such as prices and business hours, was accurate at the time of publication but is subject to change. Please refer to the official website(s) for the latest information.