Ghost of Hashima
Temperature - 19C
Food Eaten - Not so great steak
This blog entry has been coming for a long time; don't get too excited. I haven't set foot on Hashima Island, also known as Gunkanjima or Battleship Island. However, seeing it from a distance heightened my senses. Hashima is perhaps best known to those interested in history or urban exploration (Urbex).
I think the first time I heard about this island was about a decade ago when I was exploring urban locations myself. It must have been one of those colder nights when wrapped up in a fluffy blanket, I dived into a rabbit hole of YouTube videos on abandoned places and history documentaries about forgotten locations.
Hashima for a short while was a forgotten location. I am saving the historical deep-dive for the day I step foot on the island. But for now, I will lightly touch on parts. I do want to announce that my Itoshima trip was moved so if you are here because of the last Iona video ignore that information.
Hashima was not on my radar for the weekend just gone, however, by accident, I ended up lower down in Nagasaki than I predicted. Seeing a familiar yet unseen shaped island out in the ocean. My heart knew immediately which island it was. The shape has been likened to that of a battleship at sea. And seeing it finally in person it is unmistakably so.
Nine miles out to sea, it feels somewhat closer than I had imagined. I am still chasing after her and making it my mission to see both her and Itoshima. The Hashima Museum merely teased me. If you ever wonder what would happen if all life were to suddenly cease, this is the island that provides the answer. The last inhabitant left in 1974, and since then, the sea and the elements have taken over the landscape. Through the forces of typhoons and natural erosion, the island has become a ghost of its former self. Perhaps this is for the best, given its dark history. However, it is also poetic that everything we create will eventually be returned to nature.
The bus from the city was also a fun experience, seeing the sprawling urban landscape slowly giving way to quaint sea villages, surrounded by mountains and bamboo forests. The landscape then changes entirely to mountains and beautiful coastlines. One thing Nagasaki will also champion is her islands and coastal beauty. One can imagine what a coastal road trip would be like.
The city itself is fun however it is not where my interests lie when it comes to this prefecture. This prefecture prides itself on having many of the top views in Japan. It is the prefecture’s landscape itself that helps it stand out. The coast line is perfect for exploring and there is of course a lot of geological interest due to the volcanic groupings of Unzen and his three friends.
Perhaps a disjointed entry tonight but one I hope sells the beauty of a prefecture most would only know because of its tragic past. But the prefecture is more than this.
