Tokyo Times

Despite exploring and photographing more than a few abandoned buildings, the majority of which have been thoroughly fascinating, making a return trip to any of them has never really seemed worthwhile — except that is for Nichitsu mining town. Not though to simply tread over previously trod ground, but rather to fully explore its old school building as, on our first visit, the light was almost non-existent by the time we got there, and then what little time we did have was cut short by an unexpected encounter with security.

A nagging regret that meant another journey out there was always on the cards, but finally deciding to do so inevitably led to one more look at the the almost legendary doctor’s office. So, the next instalment will be the school, but first it’s a final tour around the mining town’s now really quite horrific medical facilities.

A scene that was surprisingly serene at first, as the (relatively) reassuring recuperation room was just how I remembered it.

The rest of the place though was arguably even more grim than it was a year and a half or so ago, with time having taken a further toll on the facility. And, whilst more than a few things had been moved around, it didn’t detract too much from the sights that still do more than just hint at the dangers the miners one faced.

All the way from minor injuries,

to those that were much more severe.

Along with a variety of equipment,

to help correct any complaints.

Plus one or two other curiosities. A few of which were, and indeed still are, far harder to fathom.

Although the infamous brain in a jar that once accompanied this collection has now, totally inexplicably, been taken.

Part 2, the school, can be seen here, but for anybody interested, arguably even more sickening things in jars can be seen here. Or alternatively, here are pictures of an old medical facility that, in my mind at least, is even more melancholy.