A land that thrived on coal and fell asleep with it — that is Fukuoka. The memory of the Chikuho coalfield (筑豊炭田), which once powered Japan's energy, still lingers across the landscape of Kyushu in the form of winding towers, slag heaps and abandoned hot-spring hotels. We have gathered the real ruins slowly crumbling under the damp winds of the Genkai Sea into a selection of three abandoned places still standing in 2026. Not museum-ified paid attractions, but only the genuine ruins you can still explore, chosen for their visual power and the weight of their history. From the Shime winding tower (志免鉱業所竪坑櫓), once called "the finest winding shaft in the Orient," to the Tadakuma slag heap (忠隈のボタ山), a symbol of Chikuho. As someone who loves ruins, let me quietly show you the way.
Our map has geolocated more than 229,000 abandoned places across over 200 countries, and from that vast archive we have narrowed things down to only the ruins that genuinely still exist in 2026 and have not been turned into paid tourist sites. Each comes with its history, footage, and an "add to my map" button — the exact GPS coordinates are free, no credit card needed. This article is your gateway to exploring the abandoned places of Fukuoka. If you want to dig deeper into Japan as a whole, take a look at our overview article abandoned places in Japan along with the individual city articles.
Abandoned places in Fukuoka: why Urbex Maps changes everything
Many sites that advertise "free" end up charging you thousands of yen on a forum for the real address. We do the opposite. With a single "add to my map" button, the exact coordinates are unlocked into your personal space with no credit card. Since 2021, a community of more than 40,000 explorers has verified each set of coordinates at least twice before publication. The three places below are ranked by visual impact and historical importance, each with its own detail page and a link to the map of abandoned places in Japan. Everything opens from the free abandoned-places map or from your my map.
The 3 abandoned places in Fukuoka at a glance
| 場所 | エリア | 種類 | 2026年のアクセス |
|---|---|---|---|
| 志免鉱業所竪坑櫓 | 糟屋郡志免町 | 炭鉱の竪坑櫓 | 柵越しに見学可（内部立入禁止） |
| 伊川温泉ホテル光 | 飯塚市 | 廃温泉・ラブホテル | 立入禁止／クランデスティン |
| 忠隈のボタ山 | 飯塚市 | 炭鉱のボタ山 | 屋外・遠望自由（登山は自己責任） |
1. Shime winding tower (志免鉱業所竪坑櫓), Shime: the concrete tower called the finest in the Orient
In the middle of a residential neighborhood in Shime, Kasuya District, a huge concrete tower some 47 meters tall rises up without warning. The former Shime winding tower (志免鉱業所竪坑櫓) was the heart of a coal mine run by the old Imperial Navy to dig fuel coal for its warships, and it was completed in 1943. This "hammerhead" type tower, with the winding gear placed on top, is a rare structure of which only a handful survive worldwide in this design, and it was called "the finest winding shaft in the Orient." Even after the mine closed in 1964 it escaped demolition, and it is now preserved as a national Important Cultural Property. It is surrounded by a fence and you cannot go inside, but the texture of the decaying concrete and the overwhelming scale make it one of the most striking pieces of Fukuoka's industrial heritage. For more, see the Wikipedia entry. Find other ruins on the map of abandoned places in Japan.
2. Ikawa Onsen Hotel Hikari (伊川温泉ホテル光), Iizuka: an abandoned love hotel asleep in Chikuho
In the Ikawa area of Iizuka, on the edge of a former coal-mining town, lies Ikawa Onsen Hotel Hikari (伊川温泉ホテル光), which ran out of life after changing from a hot-spring inn into a love hotel. The building, wrapped in the memory of the pleasures that coal-flush Chikuho once enjoyed, has been left untouched since it closed; covered in ivy and mold, only the garish interiors of the guest rooms remain, frozen in time. It is neither a cultural property nor a tourist site — in a sense a purely clandestine ruin, on private land and off-limits. Even so, it is a place very much of Chikuho, carrying the lingering scent of steam and desire that lay behind the years of rapid economic growth. Find nearby ruins on the map of abandoned places in Japan. Do not force your way in; limit yourself to observing and documenting from the outside.
3. Tadakuma slag heap (忠隈のボタ山), Iizuka: the mountain of coal spoil called "Chikuho Fuji"
In the rural countryside of Iizuka, a conical mountain that looks just like a little Mount Fuji floats on the horizon. This is not a natural mountain but the Tadakuma slag heap (忠隈のボタ山), built up from the useless rock (bota) dug out of the coal mines — one of the largest slag heaps in Japan, long cherished under the nickname "Chikuho Fuji" for its elegant shape. After the age of coal ended it became covered in greenery, yet it quietly keeps asserting that it is a man-made mountain, a presence that embodies the whole rise and fall of the Chikuho coalfield. You are free to view it from afar at the foot at any time, but the slopes are prone to collapse, so climbing is at your own risk. It is an unforgettable landscape, a fitting close to a journey through the coal-mining ruins. There is also information on the Iizuka City Tourism Portal.
Abandoned places in Fukuoka: frequently asked questions
Is it legal to explore abandoned places in Fukuoka?
Exploring in itself is not a crime, but almost every one of these places has an owner (private individuals, the municipality or the state). Entering the grounds without permission may amount to trespassing on a building or unlawful entry. The Shime winding tower can be viewed from outside the fence as a cultural property, and the Tadakuma slag heap can be freely seen from afar outdoors, but places like Ikawa Onsen Hotel Hikari are off-limits, and exploring them is clandestine and at your own risk. Do not climb over fences, do not break anything, and if you are asked to leave, comply promptly.
What is the most famous abandoned place in Fukuoka?
The most iconic is probably the former Shime winding tower in Shime. It is a globally rare "hammerhead" type giant winding tower, now designated a national Important Cultural Property. In terms of the sheer scale of Chikuho, the Tadakuma slag heap — one of the largest in Japan — is also a presence you cannot leave out when telling the story of the coal mines.
How do I get the GPS coordinates for these places?
Each of the spots above has a card with an "add to my map" button. Click it, and the exact GPS coordinates are saved to your personal space, "my map" — for free, with no credit card needed. After that you can open everything on the free abandoned-places map and tour them area by area.
Where are there the most abandoned places in Fukuoka?
It is the area of the Chikuho coalfield (筑豊炭田) — in the former coal-producing lands centered on Iizuka and Tagawa, remains of winding towers, slag heaps and mining housing are concentrated. Starting from your own area, begin exploring with the overview article abandoned places in Japan and the map of abandoned places in Japan, which holds thousands of points.
Explore the map of abandoned places in Fukuoka
The three places featured here are only the tip of the iceberg. The map of abandoned places in Japan holds thousands of ruins, each with coordinates, from Kyushu to Hokkaido. Start with your own region, add your favorites to my map, and set out to explore — without forgetting your respect for these places and your own safety.