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It was March 11th, 2011 in the Fukushima Prefecture of Japan. The day an earthquake rocked, a tsunami engulfed, and a nuclear power plant went into meltdown.
I am an explorer of the abandoned world. I search for remnants of what we leave behind when we relegate things to decay. I have explored many locations with sad tales and dark histories. I experience a wide range of emotions when I explore forgotten places, as I attempt to document the forgotten world. I immerse myself in the story of each location, in an attempt to present photos with context. Sometimes this is a happy partnership, other times it may uncover a painful past.
Nothing could have prepared me for the overwhelming emotions I felt when I visited the disaster-stricken Fukushima region of Japan in 2019. Even a decade after the incident, the area bears the scars of that day.
I would like to share one story with you, that affected me the most. Of the several places I explored in Fukushima, there is one that sticks in my mind.
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#1
The Chevrolet Impala Ss Looks Like It Would Still Run If The Owner Ever Returns
Final score:
61points
Whimsy 4 years ago
Would cars be salvageable after being in an affected area like that for so long?
Doubleheader 4 years ago
Going to be irradiated if it was in the vicinity. Anything made of metal will retain the radiation for much longer.
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As I stood in an abandoned school gym, I could see the Pacific Ocean only a few hundred meters away. Beautiful and calm when I visited. On March 11th, 2011 the staff made a brave decision. As the tsunami warning sirens sounded, protocol dictated they remain inside. The tsunami wall should protect them, or so it was thought. For some reason, perhaps some intuition, the staff decided instead to evacuate. Their decision undoubtedly saved the lives of the 82 students and all 15 staff members. On this day, the tsunami breached the seawall and struck the school.
I could not help but think that many other schools did not escape the unstoppable tsunami, that many more stories had a much more tragic end.
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#2
Everywhere You Can See Nature Swallowing Houses And Vehicles, The Things Left Behind When The People Fled
Final score:
60points
Janine Pendleton (Submission author) 4 years ago
Definitely some of the most spectacular overgrowth of a car I have ever seen :)
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Brandi VanSteenwyk 4 years ago
Makes me think of the original JUMANJI movie.... The vines overtaking the police car and the house interior.
Juan Alcorta 4 years ago
I saw overgrown weeds over cars and bicycles y quite a few places in Japan, other than Fukushima. I just thought they grew really fast...
Georgia Mccarthy 4 years ago
Only 2011 my bad. Can't delete my comment either
Load More Replies... #3
The School Stands Only A Few Hundred Meters From The Sea Front. The Floor Of The Sports Hall Has Collapsed In The Decade Since It Was Abandoned
Final score:
59points
kurisutofu 4 years ago
I don't think a floor world become like that naturally... It's not like maintenance people at the school were doing anything to prevent it from sinking. Leaving it alone would not change that. My guess is that it happened during the earthquake or the tsunami.
Peter Vens 4 years ago
I suspect it got flooded , and you know what that does to wood of course right ?
Kelly Tinker 4 years ago
I feel like it used to be a pool that they later covered with a new gym floor....
Janine Pendleton (Submission author) 4 years ago
In fact, I have not seen any photos yet of the floor prior to collapse. You might be right that it happened sooner after the tsunami, rather than more recently.
Load More Replies... #4
Although Most Of The Supermarket Is Dark, A Long Skylight Illuminates The Front Of The Store
Final score:
56points
TheHolyFatherOfToast 4 years ago
Honestly, it's porbably solid or evaporated
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Rachel Connot 4 years ago
Could you imagine the smell. So much rotting food. (I'm sure not anymore, but it probably once did.)
chachkimooch 4 years ago
Eerie. The front end displays are left just the way they were 10 years ago.
#5
This Arcade Is Now Dark And Empty, With Coin Trays And Paper Littering The Floor
Final score:
54points
Kevin Donegan 4 years ago
I wonder if there arcade machines are filled with money still? It took me a second to figure out why the blue plastic containers were there.
kurisutofu 4 years ago
Pachinko machine don't contain money. You use metal balls to play and if you win, you get more balls. At the end, you exchange the balls for money.
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Grumble O'Pug 4 years ago
I remember going by pachinko parlors as a kid. Always jammed with people
#6
A Japanese Funeral Car, Called A Reikyūsha, Lays Forgotten On An Old Dealership Forecourt
Final score:
54points
Sunee Days 4 years ago
Yes it's a beautiful car but also remember that everything in this region was exposed when the nuclear plant was compromised. You do not want this car.
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#7
A Cheeky Nissan Pao Peeks Out From Behind A Small Bush
Final score:
52points
Janine Pendleton (Submission author) 4 years ago
That cheeky froggy Pao face!
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#8
The Air Inside This Abandoned Supermarket Was Musty And Stale
Final score:
49points
Glory The Rainwing 4 years ago
SERIOUSLY PEOPLE! STOP SAYIN "i'M cOvErInG a CoMmEnT"! WE WILL LOOK ANYWAY!
#9
Products And Litter Cover The Floor, The Piles Reach Knee-Height In Some Areas
Final score:
47points
#10
The Arcade Machines Here Featured Anime Designs, Some From My Childhood Favorites
Final score:
47points
kurisutofu 4 years ago
It's a pachinko parlor. Those machines are recent, even though they're about old animes too.
Brandi VanSteenwyk 4 years ago
I would be curious to see if any of the machines maintained player credit balances when/if the power is restored.
#11
Abandoned Shops Are Everywhere, And It Is Forbidden To Approach Them
Final score:
41points
Brandi VanSteenwyk 4 years ago
The English signage caught me off guard. Looks like forbidden activity is actually avoided in Japan. An abandoned store like this in the US wouldn't be so lucky. Regardless of the hidden dangers. Common sense ain't so common.
#12
Everything On The Shelves Is Covered With Layers Of Dust And Grime
Final score:
40points
Katie Lutesinger 4 years ago
Woohoo, free booze! And I bet the radiation gives it an extra kick too. :p
Brandi VanSteenwyk 4 years ago
I CANNOT be the only one admitting that they would find the wine, just a taste and/or smell, tempting to explore further.
#13
Another Abandoned Pachinko Hall That I Explored In Fukushima
Final score:
39points
Brandi VanSteenwyk 4 years ago
But someone removed the games in this one (or they weren't installed yet). That fact along with the packaged items in the corner there make me wonder if it was actually in operation when the disaster struck.
Hello 4 years ago
2011, Japan. It’s a tourist destination, and almost all tourist destinations have locals speaking English. Also, English is a fairly common.
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#14
Sweets And Snacks Still Line The Shelves And Racks, Long Passed Their Sell-By Dates
Final score:
37points
#15
This Abandoned School Was Evacuated Shortly Before The Tsunami Hit, Everyone Escapes Unharmed
Final score:
37points
Rachel Connot 4 years ago
....And this is where the comments about radiation stop because the commenters are currently inserting their feet in their mouths.
Jaybird3939 4 years ago
Except for a couple of sections, this looks pretty good. The curtains and railings are still vibrantly colored.
#16
This Abandoned Pachinko Hall Would Once Have Been A Hive Of Activity. Pachinko Is A Popular Japanese Arcade Game
Final score:
31points
ProductofNZ 4 years ago
Pachinko is an arcade game but it's more often than not used for gambling. So they're basically slot machines, and yes they're everywhere in Japan.
Load More Replies... #17
Tarmac Is Cracked And Weeds Grow Everywhere At This Abandoned Car Dealership
Final score:
31points
M O'Connell 4 years ago
Was this a specialist import dealer? Because they have an extremely eclectic assortment of US-market vehicles.
Janine Pendleton (Submission author) 4 years ago
You are correct, a lot of the cars at this location were indeed America. Full set of photos here: https://www.obsidianurbexphotography.com/other/fukushima-abandoned-cars-japan-haikyo/
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TheFakeSteveRogers 4 years ago
Yea, this one looks like a Pontiac, or Cadillac, or Buick. IDK if anyone knows what it is, pls reply to me
Janine Pendleton (Submission author) 4 years ago
I think it is a 1970s Mercury Montego https://www.obsidianurbexphotography.com/other/fukushima-abandoned-cars-japan-haikyo/
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#18
As Re-Inhabitation Of Fukushima Begins, Perhaps These Gaming Halls Will Come Back To Life Once More
Final score:
26points
Samtheperson 4 years ago
Guys, why did you downvote MaryRoseKent? It’s her opinion. She just saying that she wouldn’t want to live there, what’s wrong with that?
Andrew 4 years ago
It's because she is comparing Chernobyl and Fukushima like they were the same. Chernobyl is doing much worse than Fukushima, but at least some workers at Chernobyl managed to minimize the damage done. They sacrificed their lives to save most of the European continent from becoming a nuclear wasteland. Fukushima on the other hand, was much better. Speaking statistically, there were way less deaths from Fukushima compared to Chernobyl. I know that each death can cause a family to become REALLY sad, but imagine how worse it would be if they didn't contain it in time. Many more families mourning the loss of their loved ones.
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What do you think ?
Logic and Reason 4 years ago
Hey, MaryRoseKent? We know it’s radioactive. You don’t need to comment on every picture saying “[insert titular adjectives here] and radioactive”.
Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
In fairness, there's probably someone who *would* think "Hey, let's go get that wine !" I mean, people go to Chernobyl as *tourists*.
Load More Replies... Katie Lutesinger 4 years ago
Talk about the perfect spot for shooting a post apocalyptic/zombie movie.
Julie C Rose 4 years ago
Reminder that the earthquake and tsunami affected other prefectures badly too. Iwate and Miyagi were also severely affected.
Doubleheader 4 years ago
There are some sections that have safe levels of radiation (hence why some people have been urban exploring the area). I still wouldn't do it though, that kinda stuff freaks me out haha...
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Treessimontrees 4 years ago
Japan outlaws gambling but allows pachinko - which is mindless gambling dressed up as a game. They're everywhere in Japan.
Logic and Reason 4 years ago
Hey, MaryRoseKent? We know it’s radioactive. You don’t need to comment on every picture saying “[insert titular adjectives here] and radioactive”.
Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
In fairness, there's probably someone who *would* think "Hey, let's go get that wine !" I mean, people go to Chernobyl as *tourists*.
Load More Replies... Katie Lutesinger 4 years ago
Talk about the perfect spot for shooting a post apocalyptic/zombie movie.
Julie C Rose 4 years ago
Reminder that the earthquake and tsunami affected other prefectures badly too. Iwate and Miyagi were also severely affected.
Doubleheader 4 years ago
There are some sections that have safe levels of radiation (hence why some people have been urban exploring the area). I still wouldn't do it though, that kinda stuff freaks me out haha...
Load More Replies... Treessimontrees 4 years ago
Japan outlaws gambling but allows pachinko - which is mindless gambling dressed up as a game. They're everywhere in Japan.
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