Gunkanjima Digital Museum

The Hashima Digital Museum, also known as the Gunkanjima Digital Museum, was created to allow people to experience the history and atmosphere of Hashima, an island once crowded with coal miners and their families. Known as “Battleship Island” because of its silhouette, Hashima was registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 2015 as part of the “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution.” While the island once held the world’s highest population density, today most of its buildings are too fragile to enter. The museum serves as a gateway for visitors to explore its past without setting foot on the actual ruins.

Inside, cutting-edge technology revives the lively scenes of the island’s golden age. A five-sided 4K immersive theater surrounds audiences with images that extend across walls, ceiling, and floor, so that one feels as though walking through the narrow alleys between towering apartment blocks. Virtual reality recreates the streets and interiors of the now-silent buildings, while projection mapping, interactive touchscreens, and augmented reality bring back the energy of life once bustling on this remote island.

The museum does not rely on visuals alone. Former residents of Gunkanjima appear as guides, recounting their own experiences of growing up, working, and living in such an extraordinary environment. Their voices add warmth and authenticity to the displays, transforming historical data into personal memories. Visitors also encounter Gansho-kun, the island’s cheerful mascot, whose themed goods are popular souvenirs.

For many families, especially those with children or with limited mobility, visiting the actual island remains difficult due to weather, ferry schedules, and safety restrictions. The museum offers a solution, providing a space where groups of friends, colleagues, and relatives can “visit” the island together through digital immersion. In this way, the story of Gunkanjima continues to be shared and remembered across generations.