Have you heard about the suicide forest in Japan? Today we will talk about the famous Aokigahara Forest, its curiosities, tourist spots, number of suicides, urban legends, and much more.
Aokigahara, also known as the Sea of Trees, is a 35km² forest located at the northwestern base of Mount Fuji in Japan. The forest is made up of thousands of trees, rocks, and ice caves, and has many popular tourist attractions.
Aokigahara [青木ヶ原] is known for being strangely silent; the density of the trees, which block the wind, makes wildlife difficult. Many legends are told about this forest, some related to demons and evil spirits from Japanese mythology. But its main fame is due to the large number of suicides that occur every year in the forest.
More than 50 people commit suicide in Aokigahara every year, and the bodies found exceed 100; it is possible to find decomposing bodies and even skeletons. Aokigahara is considered the largest suicide spot in Japan and the second largest in the world, only behind the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
The high suicide rate has drawn the attention of Japanese authorities, who have placed warnings in Japanese and English discouraging the act. Every year, a team of prepared individuals ventures into the dense forest in search of bodies.
Mount Fuji is also another popular destination among Japanese people who wish to die. Some people think it would be easier to climb Mount Fuji than to climb Yama (the Hindu god of death).
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My Visit to Aokigahara
At the end of 2023, we had the chance to visit Aokigahara forest; we arrived by bus using the “fujipass” from the city of “Fuji-shi,” with only a few buses per day, but it is possible to enjoy it.
See a bit of our tour in Aokigahara in the video below:
What to do in Aokigahara?
Although many believe that Aokigahara is haunted, it actually has numerous natural attractions for visitors. For example, the forest has beautiful waterfalls and maple trees perfect for warm autumn hikes.
In addition to its natural beauty, Aokigahara also has over 1,000 Buddhist temples and shrines to explore. To top it off, the surrounding area offers many accommodation options, including campsites and lodgings managed by the Yamanashi Prefecture.
Other tourist spots to explore include caves; we have the Ice Cave and the Wind Cave. There are over 200 caves in Aokigahara forest, some even have shrines.
Tourists often place ribbons in the forest to mark the trails they are exploring, so the forest becomes filled with ribbons marking trees for others not to get lost.
Although there are several misconceptions about what happens in Aokigahara Forest due to the suicides – these places really have a lot to offer tourists beyond death.
Legends about Aokigahara
The aforementioned legends refer to demons and spirits. Some Japanese people fear the forest and believe that once you enter, you will never return. This may be true; it is easy to get lost on the trails, and the volcanic soil causes compasses and phones to malfunction.
Another reason why people believed that the forest is haunted is due to Yurei, the souls filled with hatred, sadness, and a desire for revenge. According to legend, people would take their relatives to the forest and leave them to die there.
In Japanese popular belief, if a person dies in a deep feeling of hatred, anger, sadness, or a desire for revenge, their soul cannot leave this world and continues to wander.
This legend still frightens people today. Body hunters often leave the bodies found in a room before taking them to the authorities. The legend says that if the body is left alone in the room, its yurei will move around screaming in the room. Body hunters often play Jankenpo to decide who will take care of the body.
The Legend of Kobo Daishi
Is it believed that a positive achievement has ended up generating stories of evil spirits? Kōbō-Daishi is said to have meditated in Aokigahara forest for over fifty years until achieving sainthood.
As would be expected from such a sacred place, Kōbō-Daishi encountered some devotees who would undertake long journeys here to achieve spiritual enlightenment with him.
To expedite their journey and gain peace of mind before their ascent to heaven, these pilgrims would end their lives in Aokigahara so they could begin another journey immediately after death.
Over time, stories about evil spirits inhabiting this forest gained strength – could this be the reason why some Japanese people decide to commit suicide in this forest?
Movies and Videos about Aokigahara
There are 2 movies that tell a bit about this macabre forest:
The Suicide Forest – from 2009, tells the story of some students who go to the forest to make a kind of amateur documentary about its legends and stories. They end up getting lost there, and terrible things happen. Horror
The Sea of Trees – Tells the story of two men, the American Arthur Brennan (Matthew McConaughey) and the Japanese Takumi Nakamura (Ken Watanabe), who go to the forest wishing for suicide but end up starting a journey of reflection and survival deep in the woods. Drama
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