In the 19th century, coal mining began here, and in 1890 the island was bought by Mitsubishi Corporation. Hashima gradually turned into a self—sufficient city: multi-apartment concrete houses, schools, hospitals, shops and a cinema - all on an area of only 16 acres.
At its peak, the population reached more than 5,300 people, making Hashima one of the most densely populated islands in the world.
After the mines closed in 1974, the island was deserted almost instantly. Today, there are concrete ruins destroyed by storms and nature slowly regaining its space.
Since 2015, Hashima has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and remains one of the most famous abandoned places in the world.
