About Ikeshima
Ikeshima is located west of Nagasaki, this small island started mining in the 1950s and was completely closed in 2001, making it the last mining pit on Kyushu Island. At its peak, nearly 8,000 people lived on the island, but today more than 90% of the buildings are abandoned and only a hundred people live on the island, which is called the “second warship island”.
Most of the residential ruins on the island, except for the factory ruins, can be visited up close, and if you sign up for the island tour, you can also enter the mine to learn. (Reservations must be made online at least three days in advance, and commentary is in Japanese)
How to get there
Get off at the end of the bus from Nagasaki Ekimae bus station → Sakura Nori Terminal direction (about 40 minutes), and then transfer to the bus for Oseido/Itanoura and get off at NTT Oseido (about 50 minutes), where Seto Port is on the beach. In addition, there are about 10 small boats that go to the island from Kannoura Port on the way to Seto Port, so you need to call before you leave to confirm if they are sailing; there is a high speed boat from Sasebo Port to Ikushima in the morning and one in the evening, check the reservation website for the exact time.
Ikeshima Island, Nagasaki Prefecture, 日本
Tips
We got on the bus at 6:30 a.m. and went to the island at almost 11:00 a.m. The traffic to and from Ikeshima is not really convenient, but compared to the route to the island on the warship island, going to Ikeshima is really worth it! Although the abandoned late, but walking on the path of a large abandoned group of land really feel cautious, especially walking under the eight-story houses, the wind whistling, not also with the sound of broken glass and falling metal.
However, there are still people living in that large area of ruins …… school opposite the ruins there are still students going to school …… do not know how to recall childhood after the little basin friends grow up. In addition, if you make a reservation in advance, you can enter the mine to visit Oh! Remember to bring food, the island’s stores are basically not open? Post the time to come back for reference
Website
http://boken.nagasaki.jp/spot/boken152.html
