Gunkanjima / Hashima Island aka Battleship Island, Nagasaki

Famous from James Bond’s Skyfall and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hashima Island is an island of ruins off the coast of Nagasaki and is popular among many tourists. Ababnoned in the 1970’s, the island was once inhabited by a community of approximately 5000 people who worked in the coalmines from around 1890 – all on an island that’s roughly 1 kilometer long. This ticked a lot of boxes for me, so of course it went on my bucket list.

Hashima Island Facts

• Impressive in appearance, Gunkanjima looks post-apocalyptic and straight out of a movie featuring crumbling architecture, ancient coalmines, dilapidated structures and nature reclaiming a dystopian-looking place.
• Although there are no memorials, many are unaware the island’s history includes forced labour which tours fail to mention to tourists.
• Tours will cost you roughly ¥3,900-4,500 ($35-$40 USD) plus you may have to pay an additional ¥300 yen for entrance to the island on top of the tour fee.

Is Hashima Island Worth It? Here’s the Low Down

1. Tours only last 60 minutes – government-mandated and for safety reasons, the guided tour follows a specific route and you can take photos in certain locations only. You won’t see a lot of the island and you cant explore on your own – you’ll walk along a set route on elevated walkways Also there’s no possible way to visit the island on your own so unfortunately you’re stuck following the tour group.
2. Tours sell out fast – so you have to book weeks or sometimes months in advance. There are a few different websites and most are in Japanese. If you use Google Chrome translate, you can easily manage to book. Also, tours can be cancelled without notice including the day you’re due to venture out there, due to weather and ocean conditions. The tours operate 100 days out of the year on average, so it’s roughly a 1/3 chance that your tour is going ahead.
3. If you get seasick, just give up now. The waters are pretty rough and even towels and candy might not help if you’re prone to motion sickness. The journey across the island can be pretty uncomfortable, not only bumpy but also when surrounded by people who are trying to quietly puke into vomit bags on a 30-minute boat ride.
4. Not wheelchair accessible. The boats and the island itself are not wheelchair accessible and you can also be barred from joining the tour based on physical conditions, e.g. pregnancy, some disabilities. You also have to sign a contract for safety.