Ikeshima Coal Mine Tour

Ikeshima Island, located in the coastal waters of Nagasaki’s Sumiyoshi Sea, was home to one of Kyushu’s last operating undersea coal mines. Arriving at Ikeshima Port, visitors find a quiet island with remnants of its mining past scattered along the pathways.

The Ikeshima Coal Mine Tour takes participants into the actual underground tunnels where mining once took place. Wearing helmets, visitors walk through dimly lit passages, passing by heavy machinery and various equipment left as they were. A guide provides explanations throughout the tour, allowing for a close look at the working environment that supported Japan’s modernization.

The experience extends beyond the underground tunnels. After returning above ground, the island offers several industrial heritage sites that reflect past daily life and mining activities. Visitors can see the remains of apartment complexes once bustling with residents, traces of mining technology and equipment spread across the island, and the scene of the passenger ferry terminal at Ikeshima Port. The route is designed to lead visitors from the underground mine to the surface townscape, following the layers of the island’s history.