Aokigahara Forest 青木ヶ原樹海

Aokigahara, also known as the Sea of Trees, in , is considered to be haunted by demons. Nestled at the base of Mt. Fuji, this primeval forest has gotten a lot of attention over the years because of the high number of that occur in the forest; in fact, it is the number one site for suicides in . In January 2018, Aokigahara gained international attention when a YouTuber callously broadcasted footage of a victim’s body.

Every year dozens of human remains are found by volunteers who “clean” the woods. In 2003 alone, a record 105 suicide victims were revealed in the thick forest. The average number of suicides that occur within the forest trees are approximately 70 each year. this, however, does not account for the deceased that are never discovered in the very thick woods. Upon finding a body the volunteers must carry the deceased out of the forest to the local police station where the remains are kept in a special room designed for victims of suicides. In Japanese culture it is believed that if a corpse is left alone it is very bad luck for the ghost of the victims and they will scream through the night and the bodies will move on their own. If you decide to visit the forest, please be respectful of the people who have lost their lives here.

The largest demographic of suicides occurring in the forest are males between 40 and 50 years of age. The most popular month for suicides is March. This is likely due to it being the fiscal end of the year in Japan and proud businessmen may find themselves dealing with a great amount of stress or they may have experienced a loss of money or economic stability.

This wasn’t always a place for suicides. There are reports that as far back as the 19th century the Japanese would carry their elders to this forest to die of starvation, a practice called, ubasute. It became a popular suicide location after the novel “Tower of Waves”, by Seicho Matsumoto, was published. The book tells of a couple that commits suicide within the Aokigahara forest. In 1993, “The Complete Manual of Suicide” by Wataru Tsurumi was published. It described the forest as the perfect location to kill oneself. The manual goes a step further and describes which parts of the forest are less frequented by visitors so as to allow the bodies to not be found.

Japanese spiritualists believe that the suicides that have occurred in the woodland have seeped through the trees, have begun generating unusual paranormal activity, and have been preventing those who enter the forest depths from leaving alive. If you do not believe in this type of thing, then take into consideration the common occurrence of compasses being rendered useless due to large deposits of magnetic iron in the forest’s volcanic soil.

Things to See

Other than the macabre of this place there are some other reasons you might find yourself interested in this forest. - The Narusawa Ice Cave is a 70-foot-deep ice cave formed by lava from Mt. Fuji. There are ice pillars that can be seen year-round inside. Address: 8533 Narusawa-mura, Minami-tsuru-gun

Page 1 of 2 www.foreveranomad.com - The Fugaku Fuketsu Wind Cave is also a cool site to visit. Until around 1955 it was used as a refrigerator to house silkworm eggs. It has been designated as a natural monument. Because its basaltic walls absorb all sound, you will experience no echo in this cave. - Lake Kawaguchi is the largest of five lakes and home to a flock of swans and even a boat that is built to resemble a swan that comes equipped with a lovely observation deck. The view at Lake Kawaguchi is spectacular. You can enjoy a beautiful view of Mt. Fuji without any obstacles.

If you decide to go hiking check out this site https://voyapon.com/aokigahara-hiking-forest-trail/ that will safely lead you to beautiful spots within the forest.

Program your GPS for 35.4626, 138.6544 to get to the general area.

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