Living up in the mountains, when the weather is bad your options are limited to watching movies and drinking, at least that's what I had thought. That was until I was introduced to the Japanese hobby of Haikyo. Haikyo (廃墟) is a word meaning ruins in Japanese. The word also describes a hobby known in English as Urban Exploration. So on a miserable day in September, armed with some long pants and sturdy boots me and a friend set out to explore some of Minakami's lost treasures. As with many towns in Japan, often owners that are unable to pay town taxes choose to leave rather than pay up. Most times leaving things in such a hurried manner that everything is still in its normal place. Other times the weather and nature get the last laugh.
- 1 min read
Minakami Haikyo
Exploring the forgotten
![C. Rio C. Rio](https://a2.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/u/1525/240x240!/565e87c867ba810c868b6129.jpg)
By C. Rio
Community writer
![Souveniers for no one](https://a0.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/7108-50687/1000/gunma-minakami-haikyo-50687.jpg)
Souveniers for no one (Photo: Matthew Shewchuk)
![Time seems to stand still](https://a0.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/7108-50684/1000/gunma-minakami-haikyo-50684.jpg)
Time seems to stand still (Photo: Matthew Shewchuk)
![Looking as clean as the day it was left](https://a0.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/7108-50685/1000/gunma-minakami-haikyo-50685.jpg)
Looking as clean as the day it was left (Photo: Matthew Shewchuk)
![Not so tidy in here](https://a0.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/7108-50686/1000/gunma-minakami-haikyo-50686.jpg)
Not so tidy in here (Photo: Matthew Shewchuk)
![Nature starting to reclaim](https://a0.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/7108-50688/1000/gunma-minakami-haikyo-50688.jpg)
Nature starting to reclaim (Photo: Matthew Shewchuk)
![Minakami Ski Jump, one of the first two season ski jumps in the world](https://a0.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/7108-50689/1000/gunma-minakami-haikyo-50689.jpg)
Minakami Ski Jump, one of the first two season ski jumps in the world (Photo: Matthew Shewchuk)
![Top of Minakami](https://a0.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/7108-50690/1000/gunma-minakami-haikyo-50690.jpg)
Top of Minakami (Photo: Matthew Shewchuk)
![Weeds creeping in](https://a0.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/7108-50691/1000/gunma-minakami-haikyo-50691.jpg)
Weeds creeping in (Photo: Matthew Shewchuk)
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