Ikeshima Island, off the coast of Nagasaki, Japan, was once a busy coal mining community. At its peak, over 10,000 miners lived and worked here. But in 2001, the mines closed, and most people left the island, leaving behind empty buildings and streets.
One of the most striking buildings left behind is an old dormitory. This building once housed miners after long, hard days underground. Now, nature is taking over. Vines crawl up the walls, and plants grow everywhere. On the roof, rainwater has collected, forming a small rooftop pool. This happened because plants and vines have likely blocked the drains, trapping the water.
The dormitory shows how quickly nature can take back spaces humans leave behind. The mix of old concrete, green vines, and a rooftop pool creates a strange but beautiful scene.
Ikeshima’s abandoned buildings are a reminder of the island’s busy past and how time and nature can change everything. They are quiet, eerie, and fascinating places that show the power of nature to reclaim what humans leave behind.
