I like observing ruins, seeing the effect of time on materials, seeing how the nature recaptures its territory. And often scenes are very evocative; it seems people just disappeared, forgetting tiny pieces of their lives at that place.

I’ve discovered the website of a japanese photograph who seeks abandoned factories, hotels, hospitals, houses, parks all over Japan and takes wonderful photos. He must be my favorite photograph actually.

There’s a great gallery on Hashima Island.

Hashima Island (端島) is a small island in the Nagasaki Prefecture about 15 kilometers from Nagasaki itself. At the end of the 19th century, Mitsubishi installed a factory for retrieving coal from the bottom of the sea. A bit later, they built large concrete buildings for accomodating the workers. In the late 50’s, the island had the highest population density in the world. Mitsubishi closed the coal mines in 1974, the island is completely abandoned since then. It is also called “Ghost Island” by the way, and the access is prohibited.

If you visit the gallery, don’t miss the “Next Page” link at the bottom right (it’s written in japanese but you should find it).