JAPAN – Hashima Island off Nagasaki // Skyfall (2012)
A battleship-shaped island off the Japanese coast is the villain hideout in “Skyfall”. Fitting: Hashima Island itself has a dark past.
Why Bond was here
Former MI6 agent Silva (Jarvier Bardem) went nuts and starts to unmask other secret agents – all to provoke his “mother”, head of MI6 M (Dame Judi Dench). James Bond (Daniel Craig) looks for him in Singapore and finally meets Silva on his hideout, a deserted Japanese island. The island, once a coal worker hub, is now packed with hightech to hack into computers worldwide. Silva invites Bond to a “drinking game” – shooting his aide Sévérine (Bérénice Marlohe).
How you gonna get there
You gonna need a bigger boat: Hashima Island is off the coast of Nagasaki, one of Japan‘s industrial hubs in the south. As the island is a heritage sight, entry is limited. You must book a guided landing tour from Nagasaki Port. Better book in advance, as the tour is quite famous. We went with Gunkanjima Landing & Cruise, but there are other operators as well.
The boat takes roughly 30 minutes for one tour, then you’ll spend about an hour at Hashima Island. Be aware, that some tour operators cancel last minute due to weather conditions. So if you book in advance, check the forecast first.
Good to know
Hashima Island is also named Gunkanjima – a Japanese nickname for its battleship-like silhouette. But the shape isn’t what makes the eerie island a famous tourist spot. It is a former coal mine and was once the most densely populated place on earth. Hashima Islands population reached an astonishing 5,300 people in its heyday – on a place only 480 meters long and 160 meters wide. The island was quickly abandoned in around 1974 when energy needs changed, and the coal mines were closed.
Impressions from our trip to Hashima Island aka Gunkanjima
What was left behind were the workers houses, a hospital, a temple, shops and schools and a swimming pool – now all abandoned and in ruins. Hashima Island is depicted as sort of a great example of industrialization, but there is a dark chapter to its history. During the Second World War conscripted Korean civilians and Chinese prisoners of war were forced to work under very harsh conditions and brutal treatment. Up to 1,300 died because of the hard work.
Hashima Island is now a UNESCO World Heritage – and the “Skyfall” crew never was here for filming. So if you expect to see the Socialist statues or recognize parts from the film, you will be disappointed. The island interiors are a studio set, only the exterior is an actual part of the movie.
Don’t expect to much from the tour: We hadn’t any English guides, there was info for Chinese tourists only. And you can’t roam freely on the island, but only visit small sections. Of course, they are the safe options at the outskirts; so there is no crawling into the derelict buildings for you. Check out the Japanese Tourism Board for more safety info.
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