Fodor's Expert Review Hashima Island

This small island of Hashima, 12 miles southwest from the Nagasaki Port, was a coal mine with bleak concrete apartment blocks for 5,000 workers. From the sea, the industrial development made the island appear like a giant battleship. In 1974, when the mine closed, the entire island was abandoned. From April 2009 the island became open to the public. Yamasa Shipping offers Gunkanjima Landing & Cruise twice-daily at 9 and 1. Gunkanjima was featured in the James Bond movie Skyfall, where it appeared as the headquarters of Bond's nemesis Raoul Silva.