10 Abandonded Places

After spending a little less than a century as a bustling coal mining facility, Hashima Island became known as "Ghost Island" when demand for petroleum outstripped demand for coal in the 1960's and the 5,000 Mitsubishi-employed islanders began a mass exodus. Now the workers' housing, a massive cramped concrete apartment building built in 1916, sits empty. The last of the coal workers, many of whom were Chinese and Korean laborers forced to work in the undersea mines by the Japanese Government, left in 1974 was the facility was officially closed.

Hashima Island was officially re-opened for tourists in April 2009. Ruins of the once densely populated city include schools and businesses.

Getting there: Only about an hour away from Nagasaki, Hashima is reachable on a small fleet of private boats operating out of Nagasaki harbor.