Haunting abandoned mining town overtaken by nature.
Abandoned coal mining town reclaimed by natures resilient embrace.

Ikeshima: A Semi-Abandoned Island

Ikeshima is the fallback island for explorers disappointed not to have visited Gunkanjima. But despite the shadow of its neighbour, this is a great island!

The island of Ikeshima (or Ikejima) lies west of the Nishiheiki peninsula in Nagasaki prefecture. At its peak in the 1970s, this small island of less than a square kilometre had a population of almost 8,000.

Ikeshima
Ikeshima

The reason for this density in such a remote and restricted area was the coal mine. Before its construction, Ikeshima was simply an agricultural and fishing island.

Ikeshima
Ikeshima

Abandoned mine

Ikeshima
Ikeshima

Forgotten offices

There was originally a large pond on the island, Kagamigaike (Mirror Pond), linked to the legend of Empress Kamiko who would have seen her reflection in it. The island has been called “Ikeshima” or “Pond Island” in reference to this event. However, the development of coal mining later led to the destruction of the pond to build a port.

Night on Ikeshima

Not long after the war, in 1952, the Matsushima Group acquired the coal-rich lands for the development of an underwater mine. Mining operations began in 1959 when the industry was declining in the face of the energy revolution. Ikeshima was able to expand rapidly to reverse this trend.

Ikeshima from the sky!

Ikeshima
Ikeshima
Ikeshima
Ikeshima

By the 1990s the surface area of the mine had reached 35,000 hectares, with a total tunnel length of over 90 kilometres. To facilitate the movement of workers, the company developed fast tracks with a three-wagon train that could carry up to 27 passengers.

Cats, the new residents

Ikeshima
Ikeshima

In the production peak of the 1980s, more than 1.5 million tonnes of coal were extracted.

Ikeshima
Ikeshima

Between 1950 and 1970, the population grew from 350 to more than 7,500. As on the nearby island of Hashima (Gukanjima), hospitals, schools, housing blocks were built from reinforced concrete. The daily rent for these apartments was just 400 yen, and included communal facilities such as a laundry room and onsen (baths).

A walk through town

Ikeshima
Ikeshima

In the late 1990s, following a series of accidents and stiff competition from imported coal, Ikeshima’s mining activities slowed down. Despite government aid, the mine finally closed in 2001. The 2,500 employees who were still working there were all made redundant and left the island.

Eighteen years after its closure, most of the facilities remain and parts of the site seem to be used as a training centre for coal mining engineers from Vietnam and Indonesia. It’s still hard to say exactly what’s abandoned or what isn’t, even if everything seems to be in very poor shape! 

Ikeshima’s abandoned clinic

Today there are only around a hundred residents left, most of them retired miners who keep the memory of the place alive … much to the tourists’ delight!

Ikeshima
Ikeshima

And for more awesome content about Japan, follow Jordy Meow on Instagram ! 🎵

Who Am I

Jordy Meow
This is me!

I am Jordy Meow, a French photographer based in Tokyo. I explore offbeat places in Japan.

Instagram

White snow whispers past, 
Gray corridors hold secrets, 
Number three stands still. 

---

白雪がささやく、 
灰色の回廊は秘密を抱く、 
数字の三が静かに佇む。 

---

#HokkaidoMystery #SnowboundSecrets #WinterDecay #HiddenHokkaido #OffbeatJapan #Japan #AbandonedBeauty
Emerald hills call, 
Beneath the boundless blue skies, 
A lone horse wanders. 

エメラルドの丘が呼ぶ 
果てしない青い空の下 
一頭の馬が歩く 

#serenejapan #ruralbeauty #countryside #peacefulvibes #offbeatjapan #japan #hiddenparadise
Red banners whisper, 
Mossy stones lead to the sky— 
Nature's quiet shrine. 
 
赤い旗が囁き、 
苔むした石段が空へ誘う— 
自然の静かな神社。 

#offbeatjapan #japan #torii #shrinesofjapan #nature #serenity #japaneseforest
Emerald whispers, 
Water's silky dance glides free, 
Nature's quiet hymn. 

エメラルドのささやき、 
水の絹の舞、静かな自然の賛歌。 

#Akame48 #waterfalllove #serenejapan #mysticalforest #naturephotography #offbeatjapan #japan
Golden sun descends, 
Cliffs cradle emerald dreams— 
Nature's fierce embrace. 

---

黄金の陽、 
崖が翡翠の夢を抱く— 
自然の強き抱擁。 

---

#offbeatjapan #japan #sunsetviews #natureembrace #mountainbeauty #aeriallandscape #dramaticviews
Ancient roots embrace, 
Rugged bark whispers secrets— 
Green serenity. 

---

古代の根 
ざらざらした樹皮が囁く— 
緑の静寂 

---

#ancienttree #mysticalforest #naturewonders #contemplationspot #sereneforest #offbeatjapan #japan
Sakura whispers, 
Ruby bridge spans tranquil flow, 
Spring's fleeting embrace. 

桜のささやき、 
ルビーの橋は静かな流れを渡る、 
春の儚い抱擁。 

#cherryblossoms #sakura #japan #traditionaljapan #tranquility #natureandarchitecture #offbeatjapan
Weathered wood whispers, 
White walls gleam in green embrace— 
Time flows with the stream.

朽ちた木がささやき、 
緑が抱く白い壁— 
時間は川と流れる。

#OffbeatJapan #HiddenGems #SereneScenes #Japan #Tradition #PeacefulViews #CulturalHarmony