Abandoned buildings/haikyo come in all shapes and sizes as well as covering all manner of previous purposes; however, whilst a certain amount of melancholy is par for the course due to the memories, and to a certain extent the lost hope, left behind, the Higashi Izu-cho Isolation Ward is by far the most depressing place I have ever visited.
A predominantly wooden structure that, due to its location in a relatively dense bamboo forest, is rapidly decaying — the sanatorium’s brave battle with mother nature now very much a long lost cause.
Yet when the ward finally closed its dilapidated doors isn’t exactly clear, with anywhere up to the early 80s deemed possible, although magazines found in one of the rooms apparently suggest it may well have peaked in the mid 60s.
But regardless of the dates, the ward’s remaining straw mattress beds,
along with the antiquated and now damaged fittings,
paint an especially bleak picture.
One in which sick and presumably dying patients — smallpox being the most likely cause — lived out whatever time they had amidst the most basic of facilities.
Somehow dealing with the no doubt dank and dreary conditions.
And all the time resting on those aforementioned,
and absolutely horrible looking,
beds.
cain says
Yep, have to agree. Big fan of your haikyo postings, but this one is totally depressing………….
Kafkaesque! says
I like the photo of the sink. Really a great composition. Good work.
Ellm says
My God that place is awful. It made me feel depressed too.
Rob says
Pretty eerie pics. Awesome as usual!
Coincidentally, just this week there was an article on BoingBoing also showing abandoned hospital buildings: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zero101/sets/72157622949203992/
Lee says
Thanks Rob. Yeah, I saw those pictures earlier. Very impressive, and a fantastic find.
tokyoso says
did you go in there alone?
it really gives me spooky feelings
Lee says
Nah, I went with a friend. Not the kind of place I would have wanted to wander around on my own to be honest.
Adam says
Really amazing photos. You really captured the loneliness.
Jason Collin Photography says
Those stuffed straw beds look like something out of a bad fairy tale.
I like the choice Lee of going with a uniform look for the photos, all black & white and all portrait orientation.
Annette says
I find it beautiful. Agony has ended and the life reclaims a place of sadness.
mtk says
Welcome to Silent Hill…
Anna says
The raw materials are very disturbing, well done on successfully transmitting that…
JB says
The beds really make for an excellent photograph. However, I find it hard to surmise that the doom and gloom you paint this ward in was anything like the real place back before it was left to rot.
Lee says
Maybe. I’d certainly hope it wasn’t quite so bleak, but considering it was a predominantly wooden structure in a dense, dark and so really quite cold forest, I’m not sure how cheery it would have been. And considering that some people have suggested it could have been open as late as the 70s or even early 80s, the facilities, and most definitely the beds, were extremely dated so say the least.
Michael says
Great to see this place again Lee. I plan to visit it myself when I have a little more free time. It looks a little familiar to the onsen hotel that I visited recently, especially the parts further up the mountain surrounded by rotting Autumn leaves and wood.
Thomas says
I am glad to see that you find the place.
Tom