Comments on: Gunkanjima: UNESCO World Heritage site? http://www.japanprobe.com/2008/11/20/gunkanjima-unesco-world-heritage-site/ Japan News Sun, 14 Mar 2010 02:54:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: gunkanjima http://www.japanprobe.com/2008/11/20/gunkanjima-unesco-world-heritage-site/comment-page-1/#comment-319299 gunkanjima Fri, 22 May 2009 11:12:45 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=7377#comment-319299 [...] [1] Gunkanjima mini-tour | Japan | Shibuya246 [2] Gunkanjima: UNESCO World Heritage site? | Japan Probe [3] Gunkanjima-text-E [4] HASHIMA, Japan, 2002 documentary version on Vimeo [5] Internet Archive: [...] [...] [1] Gunkanjima mini-tour | Japan | Shibuya246 [2] Gunkanjima: UNESCO World Heritage site? | Japan Probe [3] Gunkanjima-text-E [4] HASHIMA, Japan, 2002 documentary version on Vimeo [5] Internet Archive: [...]

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]]> By: gunkanjima japan http://www.japanprobe.com/2008/11/20/gunkanjima-unesco-world-heritage-site/comment-page-1/#comment-319294 gunkanjima japan Fri, 22 May 2009 10:25:43 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=7377#comment-319294 [...] | Shibuya246 [2] Why is travel to Gunkanjima, Japan currently prohibited? - Yahoo! UK … [3] Gunkanjima: UNESCO World Heritage site? | Japan Probe [4] Hashima Island - Wikipedia, the free [...] [...] | Shibuya246 [2] Why is travel to Gunkanjima, Japan currently prohibited? – Yahoo! UK … [3] Gunkanjima: UNESCO World Heritage site? | Japan Probe [4] Hashima Island – Wikipedia, the free [...]

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]]> By: Entertainment Blogs » Blog Archive » Gunkanjima (Battleship Island) opens to tourists http://www.japanprobe.com/2008/11/20/gunkanjima-unesco-world-heritage-site/comment-page-1/#comment-315893 Entertainment Blogs » Blog Archive » Gunkanjima (Battleship Island) opens to tourists Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:58:13 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=7377#comment-315893 [...] famous Gunkanjima (Battleship Island) opened to tourists this week. Here is a clip from Fuji TV’s Mezamashi TV morning show [...] [...] famous Gunkanjima (Battleship Island) opened to tourists this week. Here is a clip from Fuji TV’s Mezamashi TV morning show [...]

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]]> By: Gunkanjima mini-tour | Japan | Shibuya246 http://www.japanprobe.com/2008/11/20/gunkanjima-unesco-world-heritage-site/comment-page-1/#comment-315540 Gunkanjima mini-tour | Japan | Shibuya246 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 05:16:42 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=7377#comment-315540 [...] has some good video and an article discussing the island from a post back in November [...] [...] has some good video and an article discussing the island from a post back in November [...]

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]]> By: linkfeedr » Blog Archive » Gunkanjima (Battleship Island) opens to tourists - RSS Indexer (beta) http://www.japanprobe.com/2008/11/20/gunkanjima-unesco-world-heritage-site/comment-page-1/#comment-315346 linkfeedr » Blog Archive » Gunkanjima (Battleship Island) opens to tourists - RSS Indexer (beta) Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:35:29 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=7377#comment-315346 [...] famous Gunkanjima (Battleship Island) opened to tourists this week. Here is a clip from Fuji TV’s Mezamashi TV morning show [...] [...] famous Gunkanjima (Battleship Island) opened to tourists this week. Here is a clip from Fuji TV’s Mezamashi TV morning show [...]

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]]> By: Gunkanjima (Battleship Island) opens to tourists | Japan Probe http://www.japanprobe.com/2008/11/20/gunkanjima-unesco-world-heritage-site/comment-page-1/#comment-315329 Gunkanjima (Battleship Island) opens to tourists | Japan Probe Thu, 23 Apr 2009 05:17:27 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=7377#comment-315329 [...] famous Gunkanjima (Battleship Island) opened to tourists this week. Here is a clip from Fuji TV’s Mezamashi TV morning show [...] [...] famous Gunkanjima (Battleship Island) opened to tourists this week. Here is a clip from Fuji TV’s Mezamashi TV morning show [...]

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]]> By: The Overthinker http://www.japanprobe.com/2008/11/20/gunkanjima-unesco-world-heritage-site/comment-page-1/#comment-265739 The Overthinker Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:00:13 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=7377#comment-265739 I could give reasons why a dirty old coal mine should be a World Heritage Shite, but not this particular one. For example, the coal mine that Robert Louis Stevenson got the steam engine working properly in, perhaps. Gunkanjima is a bizarre place, possibly even unique, but there are a lot of unique places on Earth. A lot of recent Japanese WH site proposals have been dodgy though. Iwami Ginzan is nice - I recommend you visit the lovely old town, which is well worth the detour - but a globally significant heritage site? Some of the natural ones are a bit iffy as well, and I would love to know the backdoor dealing that went on deciding which of the Kyoto temples and shrines were to be listed. However, often calls for WH status are not serious attempts, but rather meant to focus national or even just regional attention on a preservation issue. A sort of use of 'gaiatsu' imposed by the Japanese themselves, if you want to take helical's suggestion. I definitely think Gunkanjima should be preserved, and opened. But I also think that WH status should be for the truly iconic. BTW, not too far from where I live is a very nice area that got WH status about ten years ago. And then all of a sudden they put up carparks and charge parking fees whereas before you could just pull over to the side of the road and wander in. It's all about how much the rest of the world recognises it. This is not a new phenomenon in Japan - The Big Three XXX concept dates back a couple of centuries. I could give reasons why a dirty old coal mine should be a World Heritage Shite, but not this particular one. For example, the coal mine that Robert Louis Stevenson got the steam engine working properly in, perhaps. Gunkanjima is a bizarre place, possibly even unique, but there are a lot of unique places on Earth. A lot of recent Japanese WH site proposals have been dodgy though. Iwami Ginzan is nice – I recommend you visit the lovely old town, which is well worth the detour – but a globally significant heritage site? Some of the natural ones are a bit iffy as well, and I would love to know the backdoor dealing that went on deciding which of the Kyoto temples and shrines were to be listed.

However, often calls for WH status are not serious attempts, but rather meant to focus national or even just regional attention on a preservation issue. A sort of use of ‘gaiatsu’ imposed by the Japanese themselves, if you want to take helical’s suggestion. I definitely think Gunkanjima should be preserved, and opened. But I also think that WH status should be for the truly iconic.

BTW, not too far from where I live is a very nice area that got WH status about ten years ago. And then all of a sudden they put up carparks and charge parking fees whereas before you could just pull over to the side of the road and wander in. It’s all about how much the rest of the world recognises it. This is not a new phenomenon in Japan – The Big Three XXX concept dates back a couple of centuries.

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]]> By: anon http://www.japanprobe.com/2008/11/20/gunkanjima-unesco-world-heritage-site/comment-page-1/#comment-265645 anon Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:17:32 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=7377#comment-265645 Maybe it would be easier to get there then, people go to Chernobyl so why not here? People also go to "haunted" places. I know now you can only go there illegal or by with special permission. Maybe it would be easier to get there then, people go to Chernobyl so why not here? People also go to “haunted” places. I know now you can only go there illegal or by with special permission.

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]]> By: helical http://www.japanprobe.com/2008/11/20/gunkanjima-unesco-world-heritage-site/comment-page-1/#comment-265618 helical Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:33:13 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=7377#comment-265618 The photos of the inside of Battleship Island has some hauntingly beautiful sights. Yes it's a dirty coalmine on a tiny island, but I personally believe it's worth saving for the sights if not anything else. I share the view that there's a certain kind of aesthetic in derelict, long-abandoned buildings and facilities, sort of like how Chernobyl is today or how the Kowloon Walled City was before it was torn down. I believe the term is "廃墟萌え", related to the recently conspicuous "工場萌え" where people see beauty in massively complicated and inorganic industrial complexes. That being said, I still don't think it should be counted as a World Heritage Site since those are supposed to be places of "Outstanding universal value", while abandoned coalmine cities are still likely to be a rather niche taste. The photos of the inside of Battleship Island has some hauntingly beautiful sights.
Yes it’s a dirty coalmine on a tiny island, but I personally believe it’s worth saving for the sights if not anything else. I share the view that there’s a certain kind of aesthetic in derelict, long-abandoned buildings and facilities, sort of like how Chernobyl is today or how the Kowloon Walled City was before it was torn down.
I believe the term is “廃墟萌え”, related to the recently conspicuous “工場萌え” where people see beauty in massively complicated and inorganic industrial complexes.

That being said, I still don’t think it should be counted as a World Heritage Site since those are supposed to be places of “Outstanding universal value”, while abandoned coalmine cities are still likely to be a rather niche taste.

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]]> By: TofuUnion http://www.japanprobe.com/2008/11/20/gunkanjima-unesco-world-heritage-site/comment-page-1/#comment-265551 TofuUnion Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:21:26 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=7377#comment-265551 Nagasaki’s “Battleship island” is not only a dirty abandoned coal mine but also a stuff which represents an ugliness of human greed. If the place were to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its system would be in such a shame. I guess those who want to make it happen seem to be just interested in making money by that, because they think World Heritage Site means more tourism. Nagasaki’s “Battleship island” is not only a dirty abandoned coal mine but also a stuff which represents an ugliness of human greed. If the place were to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its system would be in such a shame.

I guess those who want to make it happen seem to be just interested in making money by that, because they think World Heritage Site means more tourism.

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]]> By: Alex http://www.japanprobe.com/2008/11/20/gunkanjima-unesco-world-heritage-site/comment-page-1/#comment-265233 Alex Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:50:52 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=7377#comment-265233 Can you give any convincing reasons why a dirty old coal mine should be considered a heritage for future generations of the world? In what way has this at all made a relevant impact on the world? Will you sit by the fire telling your children, "There are so many wonders in this world - The Great Pyramids, The Palace of Westminster, The Statue of Liberty, The Forbidden City, and an old coal mine off Nagasaki." I agree with Overthinker and helical - Pretty soon we're going to be more impressed with places that <i>aren't</i> world heritage sites. Can you give any convincing reasons why a dirty old coal mine should be considered a heritage for future generations of the world? In what way has this at all made a relevant impact on the world? Will you sit by the fire telling your children, “There are so many wonders in this world – The Great Pyramids, The Palace of Westminster, The Statue of Liberty, The Forbidden City, and an old coal mine off Nagasaki.”

I agree with Overthinker and helical – Pretty soon we’re going to be more impressed with places that aren’t world heritage sites.

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]]> By: Togu http://www.japanprobe.com/2008/11/20/gunkanjima-unesco-world-heritage-site/comment-page-1/#comment-265165 Togu Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:41:42 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=7377#comment-265165 I think it should be added to UNESCO list. Great place. Hope it will be open for tourists I think it should be added to UNESCO list. Great place. Hope it will be open for tourists

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]]> By: helical http://www.japanprobe.com/2008/11/20/gunkanjima-unesco-world-heritage-site/comment-page-1/#comment-265153 helical Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:14:43 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=7377#comment-265153 I still don't understand why these sites have to be added to the UNESCO list. If the Japanese find it valuable and worth preserving, they don't have to get the permission from a largely indifferent world to go ahead and take measures to protect it. (Although, the tendency for any action in Japan to be triggered from outside sources *is* a common trait...) I still don’t understand why these sites have to be added to the UNESCO list.
If the Japanese find it valuable and worth preserving, they don’t have to get the permission from a largely indifferent world to go ahead and take measures to protect it. (Although, the tendency for any action in Japan to be triggered from outside sources *is* a common trait…)

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]]> By: The Overthinker http://www.japanprobe.com/2008/11/20/gunkanjima-unesco-world-heritage-site/comment-page-1/#comment-265141 The Overthinker Thu, 20 Nov 2008 03:51:51 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=7377#comment-265141 This is insane. The more things that get added to that list (and is there any benefits other than increased tourism?) the less value being a World Heritage site will be. Some recent Japanese proposals are laughable. This is insane. The more things that get added to that list (and is there any benefits other than increased tourism?) the less value being a World Heritage site will be. Some recent Japanese proposals are laughable.

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