"Hashima Island is an abandoned offshore mining facility, also known as Gunkanjima or Battleship Island. Visitors tour its overgrown industrial sites, semi-ruined concrete workers’ quarters, and so-called “stairway to hell.” There’s a quiet Shinto shrine at the center and views across the East China Sea from atop the perimeter wall. The James Bond film “Skyfall” was partly set on the island."

In 1890 Hashima was opened by the Mitsubishi company to mine unsea coal, it was originally a smaller island but land was added on to allow for more buildings to be made on the island to support the mine and it's workers. Miners and management lived on the island with their families year round. It was a self contained city that had a some of the first high rise apartment buildings and a school, hospital, shrine, temple, cinema, and swimming pool. At it's peak there were almost 5,300 people living on the 16 acre island in 1959, after the demand for coal declined the town became less sustainable and was eventually closed in 1974. At one point in time it was the most densely populated places on earth. Now it's one of the most iconic abandoned locations.

I went on a group tour of the island along with a few other English speakers, the Japanese tour had many more people. I wish it was a little longer, but it was still very enjoyable.