Hashima Island
Hashima Island
4.5
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Hashima Island and nearby attractions
The area
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
10 within 3 miles
Attractions
35 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,209 reviews
Excellent
683
Very good
382
Average
104
Poor
21
Terrible
19
These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.
petertaylor57
Auckland Central, New Zealand421 contributions
Nov 2022
Hashima, or by it's nickname 'gunkanjima' (warship island) does allow landings, but they have to be booked well in advance and are not guaranteed due to sea conditions. There is a viewing platform, but not free access as the whole place is mostly unsafe. Get a good pair of binoculars and view from the shore (approx 1km).
Written November 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kronsteenoglu
Oakland, CA18 contributions
Apr 2023 • Solo
If Battleship Island has been on your bucket list since watching Skyfall, then by all means go. (This was my situation.)
If not - the scope of the tour is very limited, and we don’t get the views depicted in the movie. Other local attractions offer much better value for time and money.
If not - the scope of the tour is very limited, and we don’t get the views depicted in the movie. Other local attractions offer much better value for time and money.
Written April 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ihenders_uk
Bedford, UK116 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Inevitably, we'd been drawn by its appearance on the Skyfall 007 movie; but we found a visit to Gunkanjima gave a real insight into life in Japan in the 1950s & 60s.
We travelled with Gunkanjima Concierge, who were excellent. Visiting the digital museum ahead of the trip was invaluable to provide a good context. Commentary on the boat and around the island was in Japanese, but we were given detailed transcripts which gave a thorough background to the history of mining on the island. The guides went out of their way to offer extra information in English for us.
Highly recommended!
We travelled with Gunkanjima Concierge, who were excellent. Visiting the digital museum ahead of the trip was invaluable to provide a good context. Commentary on the boat and around the island was in Japanese, but we were given detailed transcripts which gave a thorough background to the history of mining on the island. The guides went out of their way to offer extra information in English for us.
Highly recommended!
Written November 27, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anne A
Manchester, UK89 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
This was absolutely amazing. I know it’s just a ruin now but how people actually lived there so far from help particularly at the very start of the mining is beyond me.
It was really interesting to be told the history of the island,I had absolutely no idea that it was there that the first apartments were built in Japan,which of course made sense when I thought about it.
We traveled to the island with Seaman Company who were absolutely amazing. The commentary out to the island was in Japanese which we had expected but pne of the crew came over to us with a folder of photographs and talked us through it which was really good and so unexpected.
We also got a guide in English on the boat explaining the history of the island.
It was a great morning out
It was really interesting to be told the history of the island,I had absolutely no idea that it was there that the first apartments were built in Japan,which of course made sense when I thought about it.
We traveled to the island with Seaman Company who were absolutely amazing. The commentary out to the island was in Japanese which we had expected but pne of the crew came over to us with a folder of photographs and talked us through it which was really good and so unexpected.
We also got a guide in English on the boat explaining the history of the island.
It was a great morning out
Written October 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hiro321101
Tokyo Prefecture, Japan159 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
It takes about 40 minutes by boat from Nagasaki Port. Depending on the weather that day, the boat may not depart, and you may not be able to land on the island. If there are waves, the boat will rock quite a bit, so if you get seasick, it's probably best to take medicine. Once you land on the island, there is a tour course. The buildings have collapsed quite a bit, so I'm worried about whether they can be preserved. Some people say it's best to visit early.
Written March 13, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeremy M
9 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
Really interesting and well managed tour. We went on a day when only Chinese and Japanese were used (we organised at the last minute on a whim) . The tour company provided pamphlets in English which were helpful, and even played the in-board documentary in English for us without our asking, which was kind. The island is one of a kind, historic and also sad as a place of Korean slave labour during WWII. Recommend you take lots of water and a good hat as it gets hot out there!
Written September 18, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
j p
Toronto, Canada6 contributions
Sep 2015 • Friends
You should know the hidden story behind this island. It is also known as "Hell Island" as Koreans were taken there for forced labour. They lacked the equipment that the Japanese were provided, and were starved.
The website currently has no mention of it but if you look up the history, many Koreans were forced to work under unbearable conditions. For those who passed away on the island, they were buried but later transferred to another island. During the transportation, the names, history and reasons of death were burned.
The website currently has no mention of it but if you look up the history, many Koreans were forced to work under unbearable conditions. For those who passed away on the island, they were buried but later transferred to another island. During the transportation, the names, history and reasons of death were burned.
Written September 19, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
james_soulsurfer
Los Angeles, CA5 contributions
Jan 2015 • Friends
TripAdvisor makes you choose the date of your visit but it only goes back one year. I was lucky enough to come to Hashima in 1989. At that time nobody was coming out here. I and my two friends bargained with a fisherman to take us out for the day, drop us off and then come pick us back up in the afternoon.
We spent several hours exploring the ruins of this city. It was so haunting that it's not really possible to describe emotionally. I can only say what we saw because there is a truly ghost-like sensation. We wandered in and out of abandoned apartments with clothing, shoes and furniture left just as they were when the city closed. At that time, newspaper was recycled for toilet paper and there were little bins in each of the bathrooms with torn up newspaper. It was unreal because one of the papers had an article from 1972 about Nixon resigning the Presidency. Trees were growing on balconies and roofs. In the hospital, filing cabinets had fallen down spilling out thousands of old X-ray films, in the classrooms of the main school, stacks of chairs and old desks piled high. The sidewalks and spaces between apartment buildings were filled 15 feet deep with loose wood, parts of balconies, walls and doors that had been blown to the ground during annual typhoons.
In the afternoon we swam around the island. We had only planned to jump in the water and swim around the eastern point but we ended up swimming around the whole thing. There are only two places to get on or off the island and since we didn't have our shoes or clothes we couldn't climb out and walk back to the original landing. We tried, but broken glass, nails, and shattered concrete were everywhere. Without shoes it was impossible to make even a few yards. Also the entire island (except for the two landings) is surrounded by a 10 meter high, completely featureless concrete wall that protects the island from storms. So there was no way to get back but to keep swimming.The surf came up and it ended up taking almost two hours to make it back to our starting point. It was exhausting and cold.
I have pictures of the whole trip - exploring the island, taking the fishing boat out and back, but none of them are digital, so I'll have to get them scanned and uploaded.
We spent several hours exploring the ruins of this city. It was so haunting that it's not really possible to describe emotionally. I can only say what we saw because there is a truly ghost-like sensation. We wandered in and out of abandoned apartments with clothing, shoes and furniture left just as they were when the city closed. At that time, newspaper was recycled for toilet paper and there were little bins in each of the bathrooms with torn up newspaper. It was unreal because one of the papers had an article from 1972 about Nixon resigning the Presidency. Trees were growing on balconies and roofs. In the hospital, filing cabinets had fallen down spilling out thousands of old X-ray films, in the classrooms of the main school, stacks of chairs and old desks piled high. The sidewalks and spaces between apartment buildings were filled 15 feet deep with loose wood, parts of balconies, walls and doors that had been blown to the ground during annual typhoons.
In the afternoon we swam around the island. We had only planned to jump in the water and swim around the eastern point but we ended up swimming around the whole thing. There are only two places to get on or off the island and since we didn't have our shoes or clothes we couldn't climb out and walk back to the original landing. We tried, but broken glass, nails, and shattered concrete were everywhere. Without shoes it was impossible to make even a few yards. Also the entire island (except for the two landings) is surrounded by a 10 meter high, completely featureless concrete wall that protects the island from storms. So there was no way to get back but to keep swimming.The surf came up and it ended up taking almost two hours to make it back to our starting point. It was exhausting and cold.
I have pictures of the whole trip - exploring the island, taking the fishing boat out and back, but none of them are digital, so I'll have to get them scanned and uploaded.
Written January 30, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kBaka24
Canberra, Australia106 contributions
Sep 2014 • Couples
This is a must if you are in or close to Nagasaki. The island has an eerie post-apocalyptic wasteland like presence to it and is like nothing we have ever seen or experienced before. It makes for some interesting photos and is rated as one of the creepiest places on earth. Hashima Island was certainly the highlight of Nagasaki for us.
When you dock on the island we had about an hour to walk along a few 100 meters worth of paved concrete paths around one end of the island, stopping in three main areas of interest.
Unfortunately you don’t get to see very much of the island on foot or get to go through any buildings due to the obvious safety concerns the crumbling buildings present. However we felt very privileged just being able to see what we did especially given the island has been closed off for so many decades and only opened up again just a few years ago.
We used the Gunkanjima Concierge Tour Company and were really happy with the tour (review is on their tripadvisor page).
When you dock on the island we had about an hour to walk along a few 100 meters worth of paved concrete paths around one end of the island, stopping in three main areas of interest.
Unfortunately you don’t get to see very much of the island on foot or get to go through any buildings due to the obvious safety concerns the crumbling buildings present. However we felt very privileged just being able to see what we did especially given the island has been closed off for so many decades and only opened up again just a few years ago.
We used the Gunkanjima Concierge Tour Company and were really happy with the tour (review is on their tripadvisor page).
Written October 6, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Matthias
Reutlingen, Germany19 contributions
Jun 2014 • Couples
The history of this island is amazing. The stories about how people lived and worked on the island is really interesting. Of course being part of a James Bond movie helps a lot too.
The tour itself is not that interesting. While on the boat you can watch a movie about the history, life and work on the island but the quality is rather bad and it's really hard to understand. The tour then goes around the entire island which is really nice. You get to see the apartment buildings, schools,...
Onto the island itself you don't get to see much which is the reason for my rating. For safety reasons you only get to walk a short path far away from all the buildings. You can't see into any houses because it's simply too far away. All the photos you see on google or the scene from the James Bond movie (which actually wasn't really shot there) you don't get to see.
My recommendation if you're on budget (time or money wise) skip the tour. Simply go ticket office and enjoy the museum they have. It offers some amazing photographs and short stories about the island and its families.
The tour itself is not that interesting. While on the boat you can watch a movie about the history, life and work on the island but the quality is rather bad and it's really hard to understand. The tour then goes around the entire island which is really nice. You get to see the apartment buildings, schools,...
Onto the island itself you don't get to see much which is the reason for my rating. For safety reasons you only get to walk a short path far away from all the buildings. You can't see into any houses because it's simply too far away. All the photos you see on google or the scene from the James Bond movie (which actually wasn't really shot there) you don't get to see.
My recommendation if you're on budget (time or money wise) skip the tour. Simply go ticket office and enjoy the museum they have. It offers some amazing photographs and short stories about the island and its families.
Written August 26, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
People who visit this Island know Hashima Island was used as the hideout for Silva in the movie SkyFall, but most of them don't know some Koreans and Chinese people were forced to work on the island in WW2. Could I find a sign stating this fact when I visit here? I think we need to know what happened on the island and remember the victims.
Written November 2, 2020
Come to an adult place but have no connections? I recommend Xizi for dating girls in Tokyo, Japan. Japanese girls provide a full range of S services. If you see someone you like, you can spend cash in Japanese yen. No deposit or remittance is required. No fraud is allowed. You can book hotels and home delivery. Foreigners are accepted. You don’t need to know Japanese. You can make reservations in Chinese. Good news for foreigners TG:cc383 and Line:03828. The first choice for business trips and travel. High-quality delivery tea delivery
Written November 22, 2024
anyone booked with gunkanjima concierge? they have this priority and premium package and the difference is 5300 yen vs 8000 yen, anyone knows what's the difference? from what I'm reading, both offers the boat ride, priority boarding and GDM entrance...
Written May 2, 2019
Hi, is there any particular month of the year where the sea will be a bit more calm to maximize the chance of landing ON the island?
Written December 24, 2018
Try Jun-Aug. Generally is ok during summer
Written December 31, 2018
Hi can you please tell me how long the boat trip is to get out to the island?
Written May 4, 2018
less than an hour, much faster when going back to the pier.
Written May 5, 2018
Hi can you please tell me how long the boat trip is to get out to the island?
Written May 4, 2018
The whole trip takes about 2hrs 30mins, and you will get about 60mins on the island. So it will be 40-45mins each way, depending on weather conditions.
Written May 5, 2018
Would you mind to tell me the company that you booked for the tour to Hashima Island? Our family would like to have an English Tour Guide. We would like to walk with the tour guide on the Hashima Island.
Written March 28, 2018
I booked the whole trip with Audley Travel in the UK.
Written June 20, 2018
Hi! It is possible to go to the island without a tour? Just boat there and back? We would like to spent some time on the island.. Thanks
Written March 18, 2018
No, you have to go on the tour as parts of the island is not safe. The tours are really good, well organized, we booked it online before we left home and it was easy. We used gunkanjima-concierge
Hope you have a good time, Japan and the Japanese people are amazing!
Written March 18, 2018
Hi, can anyone tell me whether there is a tour company that will allow a 3 year old on their tour of Hashima Island?
The Gunkanjima concierge won't allow us to book with our 3 year old son. Thanks.
Written May 21, 2017
Hi you may want to check Yokoso-japan Tour.
As in the detail section it says ( Infant Price - The same as adult/child participant)
The tour code 93401
Hope you manage to find one that allows children on board.
cheers
Tina
Written May 22, 2017
Showing results 1-10 of 17
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing