(WARNING: This blog post is not for the weak stomached, and easily frightened. Mature audiences only. Thank you.)
Aokigahara Forest
Aokigahara, Sea of Trees, Suicide Forest, Jukai, whatever you want to call it, is by far the creepiest place I have ever read about. Over 500 bodies have been discovered in the forest, as last reported (The Japanese government stopped reporting the deaths to try and stop all of the hysteria, and discourage others from ending their lives there). The Sea of Trees, a ominously beautiful place, is the 2nd most popular place for suicide, being the runner up to only to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The area is supposedly haunted, and even in Japanese myth, the forest is said to house demons. After a novel around 1960, where two young lovers come to the forest and commit suicide, there was a spike in the suicides here.
Basic Information About The Forest:
Aokigahara Forest is located in Japan, at the north west base of Mt. Fuji. The forest is 35 square kilometers (14 miles). The forest is full of caverns, that are actually popular tourist destinations. Trees form a canopy above so thick, in most places, the sky is not visible, making it very, very easy, to get lost. The trees, and brush are so thick, that along with the absence of wildlife, the forest is eerily quiet. The forest floor is made up of mostly volcanic rock from Mt. Fuji. Their are official and unofficial trails all through the forest, some made by suicidal people, on their final journey, some made my a small police scouring team used to walk the expanse forest floor in search of bodies. throughout the first kilometer or so of forest, their is trash and litter scattered everywhere from tourists and thrill seekers, looking for bodies or going to the Ice Cave, or Wind Cave a short walk within the forest. As you move towards the base of Mt. Fuji, less and less signs of human presence can be found. The forest is lined with ribbons and tape, from hikers wandering off the trails, to be able to find their way back. Because of the presence of magnetic rock, compasses are not always going to work, and are very unreliable. Signs are posted often along the trails and in the forest urging people the reconsider suicide.
The History Of Suicide In The Forest, And The Novel Which Caused A Spike In Suicides:
Suicide in the forest predates the novel which inspired many modern suicides to be committed in the forest. Ubasute, which may have occurred into the 19th century, was practiced there in the forest, long before Kuroi Jukai, a Japanese novel written by SeichÅ Matsumoto, a popular crime fiction novelist, was published in 1960. Ubasute, literally meaning, "abandoning old woman", is popular in Japanese folklore, and was allegedly a common practice, especially during droughts and famine. The practice is explained well by the name. Elders would be taken into the mountains, forests, or other remote desolate places, and be left there to die, either of exposure, dehydration, starvation, etc. Demons are also commonly found here in Japanese folklore. It is said, if you go into the forest, with or sometimes, even without, suicidal intentions, demons will cause you to act on these thought, or put the thoughts in your head, so you many never return. In 1960, when the novel "Wave of Trees" was written by Seicho Matsumoto was written, there was a spike in deaths leading to a peak in 2004, when 108 confirmed suicides were reported.
Ribbons And Ropes:
The forest, as previously mentioned is lined with ribbons, lines of tape, and rope, winding through the trees. There are a couple reasons for this. Tourists, seeking out a thrill, or acting on curiosity will use these to mark their path through the forest so they will not get lost and be able to find their way back. More sinister is the second reason. When a suicidal person walks into the forest, and they are still questioning whether they want to live or die, they will use the rope for the same reason, in case they want to find their way back, only, in most of the cases of these people using the rope, there is a corpse at the end of the line.
Aokigahara, Sea of Trees, Suicide Forest, Jukai, whatever you want to call it, is by far the creepiest place I have ever read about. Over 500 bodies have been discovered in the forest, as last reported (The Japanese government stopped reporting the deaths to try and stop all of the hysteria, and discourage others from ending their lives there). The Sea of Trees, a ominously beautiful place, is the 2nd most popular place for suicide, being the runner up to only to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The area is supposedly haunted, and even in Japanese myth, the forest is said to house demons. After a novel around 1960, where two young lovers come to the forest and commit suicide, there was a spike in the suicides here.
Basic Information About The Forest:
Aokigahara Forest is located in Japan, at the north west base of Mt. Fuji. The forest is 35 square kilometers (14 miles). The forest is full of caverns, that are actually popular tourist destinations. Trees form a canopy above so thick, in most places, the sky is not visible, making it very, very easy, to get lost. The trees, and brush are so thick, that along with the absence of wildlife, the forest is eerily quiet. The forest floor is made up of mostly volcanic rock from Mt. Fuji. Their are official and unofficial trails all through the forest, some made by suicidal people, on their final journey, some made my a small police scouring team used to walk the expanse forest floor in search of bodies. throughout the first kilometer or so of forest, their is trash and litter scattered everywhere from tourists and thrill seekers, looking for bodies or going to the Ice Cave, or Wind Cave a short walk within the forest. As you move towards the base of Mt. Fuji, less and less signs of human presence can be found. The forest is lined with ribbons and tape, from hikers wandering off the trails, to be able to find their way back. Because of the presence of magnetic rock, compasses are not always going to work, and are very unreliable. Signs are posted often along the trails and in the forest urging people the reconsider suicide.
The History Of Suicide In The Forest, And The Novel Which Caused A Spike In Suicides:
Suicide in the forest predates the novel which inspired many modern suicides to be committed in the forest. Ubasute, which may have occurred into the 19th century, was practiced there in the forest, long before Kuroi Jukai, a Japanese novel written by SeichÅ Matsumoto, a popular crime fiction novelist, was published in 1960. Ubasute, literally meaning, "abandoning old woman", is popular in Japanese folklore, and was allegedly a common practice, especially during droughts and famine. The practice is explained well by the name. Elders would be taken into the mountains, forests, or other remote desolate places, and be left there to die, either of exposure, dehydration, starvation, etc. Demons are also commonly found here in Japanese folklore. It is said, if you go into the forest, with or sometimes, even without, suicidal intentions, demons will cause you to act on these thought, or put the thoughts in your head, so you many never return. In 1960, when the novel "Wave of Trees" was written by Seicho Matsumoto was written, there was a spike in deaths leading to a peak in 2004, when 108 confirmed suicides were reported.
Ribbons And Ropes:
The forest, as previously mentioned is lined with ribbons, lines of tape, and rope, winding through the trees. There are a couple reasons for this. Tourists, seeking out a thrill, or acting on curiosity will use these to mark their path through the forest so they will not get lost and be able to find their way back. More sinister is the second reason. When a suicidal person walks into the forest, and they are still questioning whether they want to live or die, they will use the rope for the same reason, in case they want to find their way back, only, in most of the cases of these people using the rope, there is a corpse at the end of the line.
Signs that Line The Forest:
Throughout the forest, officials have posted signs and notices urging people to reconsider suicide, and seek help. Here are a few:
Throughout the forest, officials have posted signs and notices urging people to reconsider suicide, and seek help. Here are a few:
This sign translates to something along the lines of, "Your parents have given you the gift of life and life is precious." and then lists a number for help.
This sign is located at the entrance to the forest at the beginning of an official trail.
This is also a sign urging you to seek help and reconsider suicide.
All of the signs throughout the forest are posted in hope that the numbers of suicides will drop. No one can really tell how many people have taken the advice from these, and seeked help, but we can estimate the number of people who haven't by the number of recovered bodies, over 500.
(Now, on another note, anyone who is reading this, and is suicidal, PLEASE, do not follow the path of these people and commit suicide. It is not a beautiful thing. It is not the answer to anything. If you are feeling suicidal, or like harming yourself please contact the suicide prevention hot line with this number: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and seek help immediately. I am not a stranger to self harm, and suicide attempts, and it is so much better to go talk to someone, than to hurt yourself.)
Jan-Ken-Pon:
(Now, on another note, anyone who is reading this, and is suicidal, PLEASE, do not follow the path of these people and commit suicide. It is not a beautiful thing. It is not the answer to anything. If you are feeling suicidal, or like harming yourself please contact the suicide prevention hot line with this number: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and seek help immediately. I am not a stranger to self harm, and suicide attempts, and it is so much better to go talk to someone, than to hurt yourself.)
Jan-Ken-Pon:
When a suicide corpse is found, the forest workers, play Jan-Ken-Pon, or what we would call rock, paper, scissors, to determine something, we would find, unbelievable. They play this game, to see who has to sleep in a special room designated for the suicide victims, with the corpse. This is because in Japanese myth, it is believed to be very bad luck for the yurei, or ghost, of the suicide victim. The terrified workers must sit with the corpses all night, and they are said to scream all through the night, and there have even been reports of the bodies moving on their own.
In Conclusion:
The Aokigahara Forest, is obviously a place filled with pain, regret, and anguish of the people who entered and did not return. Though the place is so beautiful, the silent isolate woods said to be the perfect place to die, there is nothing beautiful about the things and people, that are found within the forests depths. The following photograph include the remains of a few discovered bodies, and personal belongings left behind. Do not look if you are easily disturbed, frightened, or sickened. The pictures will be shown when the count down passes 10, just to make sure, nobody accidentally sees the photos without wanting to by accidentally scrolling down too far, because i know, certain people simply can not handle the sight of a dead body, and i want you to be able to read about the forest without getting sick. So, when the count down reaches ten, for those of you who want to look.
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Various Suicide Victims and Belongings:
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Various Suicide Victims and Belongings:
