Pieces of Eights: An Urbex Surprise

A little over a year ago, prior to Amanda & I travelling to Osaka, some friends mentioned a recent visit to a boarded up old theme park in Nara (Japan). A few google searches later turned up a photographers dream, appropriately called Nara Dreamland. Dreamland been closed for a number of years but in true Japanese style it’s had been boarded up and left rather than pulled down and demolished in a more western style.

In searching for further details on Dreamland I came across a new concept of Urbex (Urban Exploring) which has the rather awesome unwritten rule of ‘leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but photographs’. (Which is very similar to the code a lot of divers follow as well, just replace ‘footprints’ with ‘bubbles’).

One of the best Urbex examples I’ve come across is Florian and his Abandoned Kansai blog. When Amanda and I visited Osaka/Nara in November last year we found Dreamland but sadly security was on site that day so the best I could do was a few photos over the fence.

Yes ok, Urbex in certain locations would be considered trespassing but I prefer to think that if I’m just taking pictures it’s ok right?

Now where am I getting to with all this… Recently I had been diving with a great group of people from Ohio (mostly). On Monday just gone they had paid a little extra for 2 dives and a half day land tour on the island of Peleliu. I was lucky enough to be able to tag along with them for the tour.

For those who aren’t aware Peleliu island was the site of a ferocious and sadly rather pointless battle during WWII (1944). Essentially the American army wanted to take the air strip from a determined and well entrenched Japanese army. What was expected to take 3 days took well over 2 months. I won’t go into too many details, you can read more here if you like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_peleliu

The land tour took us around many war sites on Peleliu but for me the jewel in the crown was the old Japanese Army Headquarters. I was aware of this building and had been very keen to check it out but mistakenly thought it was on the larger island of Babeldaob. So I was completely taken by surprise to round a corner in our old beaten up tour van and pull up right out front of the HQ.

Unexpectedly and very suddenly I was doing my first Urbex photo shoot!

Unfortunately with no concept of my what day would entail I only had my small point and shoot Panasonic Lumix camera on me. I can’t wait to get back and explore some more, next time with my DSLR!