Our
VPO administrator decided to choose a creepy, eerie destination this
month to celebrate Halloween. He made a good choice!
Hasima
Island, Japan
Nine
miles off the coast of Nagasaki, Japan, sits the desolate,
uninhabited island of Hashima (also called Gunkanjima,
or battleship, because of its shape).
This
16 acre island with its massive, encircling sea wall was once a
thriving undersea coal mining community. It is now home to decaying
concrete buildings, collapsed mine shafts, rusting machinery and
discarded items. While the island is a symbol of
Japanese industry,
it is also a reminder of its dark past.
Coal
was discovered on the island around 1810. Mining began, the seawall
was constructed and the island enlarged with debris from the mine
tunnels.
In
1916 the island's first concrete building was constructed, a seven
floor apartment complex to house the growing number of workers and
their families. Although the living conditions were harsh, the
quarters cramped and austere and the work dangerous, the offer of
good wages and free housing attracted many.
Then
in the 1930s and throughout WWII the Japanese men were needed
elsewhere, so the families returned to the mainland. Miners were replaced by Korean and
Chinese conscripted civilians and prisoners of war. They were forced
to work under very harsh conditions and brutal treatment under
Japanese wartime policies. It is estimated that about 1,300 men died from disease, mining
accidents, exhaustion and malnutrition.
After
WWII, the Japanese miners and their families returned to the island.
More concrete buildings were constructed including large apartment
complexes, a school, a hospital and a community center, a cinema,
communal baths, a swimming pool, rooftop gardens, shops and a
brothel. Sunday excursions to the mainland were available. Conditions
were much improved. By 1959 this 16 acre island was home to 5,259
people, making it the most densely populated area in the world.
Coal
supplies dwindled and the mines were closed in January 1974. The
residents departed, leaving the island totally abandoned - except for rats, feral cats and ghosts.
Interest
in the island has resurfaced. Government controlled tourist travel to
Hashima began in 2009. Restoration on the ruined buildings has begun
but at this time only a very small portion of the island is deemed
safe.
Hashima
was named a UNESCO World Heritage Historical Site in 2015.
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| Hashima Island, 9x12, oil |
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| Reference Photo and B&W Underpainting |
Any of my paintings can be purchased directly through me, if you prefer.
Please email me for more information.
Thanks for visiting and Happy Halloween.
Celene
