Nagasaki , Monday 17th April 2017

We woke to a overcast and rainy day which wouldn't probably be good for our tour of Gunkanjima which Jo had booked us In the other day as tours book out very quickly.If the swell is too great than the boat can't dock - only 1 in 3 trips get to land so fingers crossed the weather improves.  Hasima Island commonly called Gunkanjima ( meaning Battleship Island) is an abandoned island lying about 15 kilometers  from the city of Nagasaki, in southern Japan. It is one of 505 uninhabited islands in Nagasaki Perecture. The island's most notable features are its abandoned concrete buildings, undisturbed except by nature, and the surrounding Eas wall . While the island is a symbol of the rapid industrialisation of Japan, it is also a reminder of its dark history as a site of  forced labourprior to and during the Second World War. The 6.3-hectare (16-acre) island was known for its undersea coal mines,established in 1887, which operated during the industrialization of Japan. The island reached a peak population of 5,259 in 1959. In 1974, with the coal reserves nearing depletion, the mine was closed and all of the residents departed soon after, leaving the island effectively abandoned for the following three decades. Interest in the island re-emerged in the 2000s on account of its undisturbed historic ruins, and it gradually became a tourist attraction of a sort. Certain collapsed exterior walls have since been restored, and travel to Hashima was re-opened to tourists In 2009. Increasing interest in the island resulted in an initiative for its protection as a site of industrial heritage.  Also some of the filming of the 007 movies "Skyfall" was filmed here as well.                           

 

 

Unfortunately the swell was too big so we had a quick sail around the island to take a few photos and then head back whilst a number of passengers were using the pie bags.

We stopped near the wharf for a nice lunch or tuna and salmon Don with some natural and crumber Oysters which are kept in the pools in the restaurant.

 then  headed off to the local shopping centre where we brought some more clothes for Jo and I - Joey's experiencing a bit of bag explosion so it will all have to be packed into my bag.We then went next door to JR Rail in tha Nagasaki Terminal and validated our next train passes and booked the trip to Hiromisa ( for a stop so we can get a ferry out to our favourite oyster island) and then onto Onomichi where we will stop for the night.

 

After a short rest at home we ventured back to the Okonomiyaki restaurant for dinner again.