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All Japan Hachimantai Matsuo Mine

Matsuo Mine

Abandoned Japanese ghost town gives a glimpse into what our own metropolises may leave behind.

Hachimantai, Japan

Added By
Rachel James
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  Jordy Meow
  Jordy Meow
In winter   berearobinson / Atlas Obscura User
Child’s chair   berearobinson / Atlas Obscura User
In winter   berearobinson / Atlas Obscura User
In winter   berearobinson / Atlas Obscura User
In winter   berearobinson / Atlas Obscura User
  Jordy Meow
  Jordy Meow
  Jordy Meow
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  Taki / Atlas Obscura User
  Taki / Atlas Obscura User
The ruins.   Syuzo Tsushima
The Matsuo Mine ghost town.   Kohei Fujii
In winter   berearobinson / Atlas Obscura User
The ruins of the Midorigaoka apartment complex.   Kernel
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About

It was once called a “paradise above the clouds.”

The makeshift town was built to house the working population of the Matsuo sulfur mines. The concrete apartment complex sheltered over 15,000 people and was considered luxurious at the time for its central heating, flushing toilets, and garbage chutes. It had schools, a hospital and a movie theater, everything a functional town might have. The “clouds” referred to the opaque fog that often surrounds the town, rendering it barely visible.

Following the end of World War II, Japan had a rapid economic boom which was accompanied by serious environmental issues, including the outbreak of Yokkaichi asthma. It was caused by the emission of sulfur dioxide, so the Japanese government mandated petroleum refineries to install desulfurization equipment, resulting in the vitalization of sulfur production. Thus, the mining of sulfur eventually went out of demand.

The Matsuo mine ceased operations in 1969, leaving the town with no residents or purpose. The eleven buildings have since been left to decay, giving the town the ambience of a post-apocalyptic setting over which emptiness reigns. The commonplace objects in the apartments and school communicate a rapid departure and an eerie sense of normalcy in this ghost town. The town is isolated both by mountains, which make travel difficult, and by the fog, which makes visibility almost impossible. The mines, which once clamored with people and machinery, now sit in hushed silence, at odds with the physical presence they command. 

Related Tags

Ruins Haikyo Abandoned Mines Abandoned Mines

Know Before You Go

From Tokyo, seven hours by car. Tohoku Express Way, Hachimentai Exit then follow the Matsuo signs. By train follow: Tokyo – JR Shinkansen Hayate 25 (2.5hrs) Morioka – IGR Iwate Ginga Tetsudo (50min) Kitamori – walk to Matsuo Hachimantai, Iwate (15min) to Matsuo

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Community Contributors

Added By

Rachel

Edited By

Bess Lovejoy, Fred Cherrygarden, Taki, berearobinson

  • Bess Lovejoy
  • Fred Cherrygarden
  • Taki
  • berearobinson

Published

July 24, 2013

Edit this listing

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Sources
  • http://www.haikyo.org/abandoned/mines/matsuo-mine/
  • http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2009/08/the-mist-wreathed-apartments-of-matsuo-mine/
  • http://www.totorotimes.com/urban-exploration/the-haunting-silence-of-tohoku-mines/
  • http://metropolis.co.jp/travel/haikyo-corner/matsuo-mine/
  • http://www.asylum.com/2010/02/24/10-japanese-ghost-towns-love-hotel-toyo-bowling-alley-sports-world-russian-village-theme-park/
  • http://io9.com/5342301/japans-abandoned-mines-hint-at-the-ruins-well-leave-behind/
Matsuo Mine
Hachimantai
Japan
39.926361, 141.095335

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