Aokigahara Forest is a Japanese suicide forest at the foot of Mount Fuji. Aokigahara (Suicide Forest)

Aokigahara (jap. ?????, "Plain of green trees"); also known as Jukai (Jap. ???, "Sea of Trees") - a forest at the foot of Mount Fuji on the Japanese island of Honshu. The forest, which lies right at the foot of the volcano itself, is the exact opposite of the beauty and majestic tranquility of these places.

The total area is approximately 35 sq. km. The terrain of the forest includes many rocky caves, and the features of the location, in particular the density of the forest and the lowland, provide a "deafening" silence. It is also claimed that there are extensive deposits underground in the forest area. iron ore, this seems to explain the fact that compasses do not function in Aokigahara. The land on which the forest is located is a volcanic rock that is quite dense and cannot be worked with hand tools, such as hoes and shovels.

Aokigahara is considered a young forest because it was formed about 1200 years ago. The last major eruption of Mount Fuji occurred in 1707 and for some reason did not cover one of the slopes with an area of \u200b\u200babout 3000 hectares of land with lava. Later, this area was overgrown with a dense forest of boxwood, pines and other conifers. Trees stand almost like a solid wall.

But that's not what's terrible...

The soil is pitted, as if someone was trying to uproot centuries-old trunks. The roots of the trees, unable to break through the hard lava rock, go up, intricately intertwining over the rock fragments that were once ejected from the mouth of the volcano. The relief of the forest massif is riddled with breaks and numerous caves, some of which extend underground for several hundred meters, and in some of them the ice never melts.

The fauna of Aokigahara includes wild foxes, snakes, and dogs.

Aokigahara is a national park that has several hiking trails that offer climbing Mount Fuji on the northern slope, as well as walks through a beautiful forest area. Since the forest is close to Tokyo and offers many various ways spend time outdoors, Aokigahara is a popular place for picnics and weekend walks.

Attractions in the park include the Ice Cave (Japanese ?? hyo: ketsu?) and the Wind Cave (Japanese ?? fu: ketsu / kazeana?).

In 864, there was a strong eruption of Mount Fuji. An indestructible lava flow descending the northwestern slope formed a huge lava plateau with an area of 40 square meters. km, on which took root very unusual forest. The soil is pitted, as if someone was trying to uproot centuries-old trunks. The roots of the trees, unable to break through the hard lava rock, go up, intricately intertwining over the rock fragments that were once ejected from the mouth of the volcano. The relief of the forest massif is riddled with breaks and numerous caves, some of which extend underground for several hundred meters, and in some of them the ice never melts.

With the onset of twilight, people begin to talk about this place only in a whisper. Disappearances of people and frequent suicides - this is the real face of Aokigahara. Tourists are strictly punished not to turn off the main paths into the depths of the forest because it is easy to get lost here. The magnetic anomaly makes the compass a completely useless item, and similar terrain makes it impossible to find a way out from memory. Numerous ghosts living in the forest have long been legendary. This place gained notoriety in the Middle Ages, when in the years of famine, driven to despair, the poor brought their elderly and infirm relatives to the forest and left them there to die. The groans of these unfortunates could not break through the dense wall of trees, and no one heard the groans of those doomed to a painful death. The Japanese say that their ghosts lie in wait for lonely travelers in the forest, wanting to avenge their suffering.

Rumor has it that white ghostly shapes of yurei can be seen between the trees here. According to Shintoism, the souls of those who died a natural death are united with the spirits of their ancestors. Those who accepted a violent death or committed suicide become wandering ghosts - yurei. Finding no peace, they come to our world in the form of legless ghostly figures with long arms and glowing eyes in the dark. And the oppressive deathly silence of the forest is broken at night by their groans and heavy breathing. Those who decide to visit Aokigahara must have strong nerves. It happens that a branch crunching underfoot turns out to be a human bone, and the strange outline of a person in the distance is the corpse of another hanged man.

Only two kinds of people voluntarily go into the depths of the "forest of death" - members special brigades policemen and firefighters who comb Aokigahara every autumn in search of the remains of suicides, and even the suicides themselves.

A surge in suicide pilgrimage to the Aokigahara forest was caused by the work of the writer Wataru Tsurumi “ Complete guide Suicide, which was released in 1993 and immediately became a bestseller: more than 1.2 million copies were sold in Japan. This book provides detailed description various methods of suicide, and the author described Aokigahara as "a great place to die." Copies of Tsurumi's book were found near the bodies of some of the Aokigahara suicides. Local authorities concerned about the never-ending wave of suicides

On the forest paths posters of the following content are installed:

Your life is a priceless gift from your parents.
Think about them and about your family.
You don't have to suffer alone.
Call us
22-0110

Local shops do not sell funds (pills, ropes) that could be used to settle accounts with life. In the vicinity there are special patrols that catch those who want to get into Jukai even on the approaches. It is easy to figure out those who decided to go to the forest: most often they are men in business suits.

It is impossible to say unequivocally how much these words reduce the number of victims, but every year dozens of new bodies are found in the forest. Of course, not everyone is found: there are those who settle scores with life in a completely unsociable wilderness. There the remains of the weak in spirit are pulled away predatory beasts forever making them part of this forest.

In 1960, a book by the writer Seicho Matsumoto "Wave Pagoda" (jap. ??? Nami no to) was published in Japan, which told about a woman who once committed suicide in Aokigahara. Later, based on this novel, a television series was staged, which received extraordinary popularity in Japan.

Why do the Japanese, who seem to live in such a prosperous country, take one of the first places in the world in terms of the number of suicides? More often than other reasons, it is called the loss of a job. Many say that the Japanese have become too pragmatic, and the lack of money means too much in modern world. But here perhaps not last role plays the mentality that developed many centuries ago, when the loss social status perceived as the worst of evils and may lead to suicide.

Also from ancient times, another terrible ritual has come down to our days, called in Japan "suicide by conspiracy." This refers to the voluntary departure from the life of two lovers who, for some reason, cannot be together in this world. Belief that simultaneous death will unite them in other world, is still very strong. "Conspiracy suicide" is still so common in Japan that when the bodies of a man and a woman are found nearby, the police usually do not investigate thoroughly, considering the case obvious. One such case is recounted in a detective novel by the same author, Seicho Matsumoto, published in

Released in 2005 documentary"Sea of Trees" (jap. ??? Ki no umi?), in which director Tomoyuki Takimoto tells the story of four people who decide to kill themselves in Aokigahara. At the 17th Tokyo International Film Festival, the film won the Best Film Award in the Japanese Cinema. Your look."

Japanese metal band Screw recorded the song "The Sea of Trees", based on the footage filmed in Aokigahara.

The total area is approximately 35 sq. km. The terrain of the forest includes many rocky caves, and the features of the location, in particular the density of the forest and the lowland, provide a "deafening" silence. It is also stated that there are extensive deposits of iron ore underground in the forest area, which seems to explain the fact that compasses do not function in Aokigahara. The land on which the forest is located is a volcanic rock that is quite dense and cannot be worked with hand tools, such as hoes and shovels.

But that's not what's terrible...

The fauna of Aokigahara includes wild foxes, snakes, and dogs.

Aokigahara is a national park that has several hiking trails that offer climbing Mount Fuji on the northern slope, as well as walks through a beautiful forest area. Since the forest is close to Tokyo and offers many different ways to spend time outdoors, Aokigahara is a popular place for picnics and weekend walks.

Attractions in the park include the Ice Cave (jap. ?? hyo:ketsu?) and the Wind Cave (jap. ?? fu:ketsu / kazeana?).

In 864, there was a strong eruption of Mount Fuji. An indestructible lava flow descending the northwestern slope formed a huge lava plateau with an area of 40 square meters. km, on which a very unusual forest took root. The soil is pitted, as if someone was trying to uproot centuries-old trunks. The roots of the trees, unable to break through the hard lava rock, go up, intricately intertwining over the rock fragments that were once ejected from the mouth of the volcano. The relief of the forest massif is riddled with breaks and numerous caves, some of which extend underground for several hundred meters, and in some of them the ice never melts.

Rumor has it that white ghostly shapes of yurei can be seen between the trees here. According to Shintoism, the souls of those who died a natural death are united with the spirits of their ancestors. Those who accepted a violent death or committed suicide become wandering ghosts - yurei. Not finding peace, they come to our world in the form of legless ghostly figures with long arms and eyes burning in the dark. And the oppressive deathly silence of the forest is broken at night by their groans and heavy breathing. Those who decide to visit Aokigahara must have strong nerves. It happens that a branch crunching underfoot turns out to be a human bone, and the strange outline of a person in the distance is the corpse of another hanged man.

Only two kinds of people voluntarily go into the depths of the "forest of death" - members of special teams of police and firefighters, combing Aokigahara every autumn in search of the remains of suicides, and even suicides themselves.

In our time in Japan, no one suffers from hunger, but Aokigahara continues to play its sinister role even now. The mystical landscape and the ringing silence of the legendary forest attract those who have decided to voluntarily die. In terms of the number of suicides committed annually, Aokigahara concedes this terrible palm only to the Golden Bridge in San Francisco. Since 1970, the police officially began to search for the bodies of the dead, for which special funds in the amount of 5 million yen are allocated annually from the treasury. Once a year, the police, together with a large group of volunteers (about 300 people), comb the forest. It is reported that between 30 and 80 bodies are found during such raids. This means that, on average, every week someone enters this “sea of trees” never to return... In three nearby villages, which are responsible for collecting this terrible harvest, rooms are equipped for storing unidentified remains.
A surge in suicide pilgrimages to the Aokigahara Forest was caused by the work of the writer Wataru Tsurumi, The Complete Guide to Suicide, published in 1993 and immediately became a bestseller: more than 1.2 million copies were sold in Japan. This book provides a detailed description of the various methods of suicide, and the author described Aokigahara as "a wonderful place to die." Copies of Tsurumi's book were found near the bodies of some of the Aokigahara suicides. Local authorities concerned about the never-ending wave of suicides

On the forest paths posters of the following content are installed:

Your life is a priceless gift from your parents.
Think about them and about your family.
You don't have to suffer alone.
Call us
22-0110

It is impossible to say unequivocally how much these words reduce the number of victims, but every year dozens of new bodies are found in the forest. Of course, not everyone is found: there are those who settle scores with life in a completely unsociable wilderness. There, the remains of the weak in spirit are taken away by predatory animals forever making them part of this forest.

There is a rumor about the forest of Aokigahara that between the trees you can here and there see the white ghostly outlines of yurei. According to Shintoism, the souls of those who died a natural death are united with the spirits of their ancestors. Those who accepted a violent death or committed suicide become wandering ghosts - yurei. Finding no peace, they come to our world in the form of legless ghosts. female figures with long arms and glowing eyes in the dark. And the ringing silence of the forest is broken at night by their groans and heavy breathing.

The mystical horror of the Suicide Forest has inspired many writers. So, in 1960, a book by the writer Seicho Matsumoto "Wave Pagoda" (jap. ??? Nami but then) was published in Japan, which told about a woman who once committed suicide in Aokigahara. Later, based on this novel, a television series was staged, which received extraordinary popularity in Japan.

Why do the Japanese, who seem to live in such a prosperous country, take one of the first places in the world in terms of the number of suicides? More often than other reasons, it is called the loss of a job. Many say that the Japanese have become too pragmatic, and the lack of money means too much in the modern world. But here, perhaps, the mentality that developed many centuries ago plays an important role, when the loss of social status is perceived as the worst of evils and can push to commit suicide.

Also from ancient times, another terrible ritual has come down to our days, called in Japan "suicide by conspiracy." This refers to the voluntary departure from the life of two lovers who, for some reason, cannot be together in this world. The belief that their simultaneous death will unite them in the other world is still very strong. "Conspiracy suicide" is still so common in Japan that when the bodies of a man and a woman are found nearby, the police usually do not investigate thoroughly, considering the case obvious. One such case is recounted in a detective novel by the same author, Seicho Matsumoto, published in

A surge in the pilgrimage of suicides to the Aokigahara forest was caused by the work of the writer Wataru Tsurumi "The Complete Guide to Suicide" (jap. ????????? Kanzen jisatsu manyuaru), published in 1993 and immediately became a bestseller: more than 1 2 million copies. This book provides a detailed description of the various methods of suicide, and the author described Aokigahara as "a wonderful place to die." Copies of Tsurumi's book were found near the bodies of some of the Aokigahara suicides.

In 2005, the documentary Sea of Trees (Japanese ??? Ki no umi?) was released, in which director Tomoyuki Takimoto tells the story of four people who decided to kill themselves in Aokigahara. At the 17th Tokyo International Film Festival, the film won the Best Film Award in the Japanese Cinema. Your look."

Japanese metal band Screw recorded the song "The Sea of Trees", based on the footage filmed in Aokigahara.

Why are Japanese people drawn to the Aokigahara suicide forest?

Suicide Forest - its unofficial name is Aokigahara (Plain of Green Trees), Jukai (Sea of Trees) - a forest at the foot of Mount Fuji on the island of Honshu (Japan), it has become widely known due to the often performed in it. Approximately 35 km² (14 sq. miles) in total.

Aokigahara is a national park with several hiking trails. The relief of the forest includes numerous rocky caves, and the peculiarities of the location, in particular the density of the forest and the lowland, provide a "deafening" silence.

Geographic coordinates 35°28′12″ northern latitude; 138°37′11″ East.

General information

At the entrance to the forest there is a poster:

Your life is a priceless gift from your parents.
Think about them and about your family.
You don't have to suffer alone.
Call us 0555-22-0110

Aokigahara is a popular suicide site among residents of Tokyo and the surrounding area and is considered the second most popular place in the world (in the first place is the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco) in order to commit suicide. Every year, between 70 and 100 bodies are found in the forest. Officially, the police began to search for the bodies of Aokigahara suicides in 1970, for which special funds in the amount of 5 million yen are allocated from the treasury every year.

Once a year, the police, together with a large group of volunteers (about 300 people), comb the forest. Between 30 and 80 bodies were reportedly found during such raids. This means that on average every week someone enters this “sea of trees” never to return… In three nearby settlements tasked with harvesting this horrendous crop, facilities have been set up to store the unidentified remains.

Among the methods of suicide, the leading place is occupied by hanging and poisoning with medicines. As eyewitnesses testify, it is enough to go only a few dozen steps deep into the forest from the path, as on the ground you can find things, bags, plastic bottles and packaging of tablets.

This forest, of course, is not included in the lists of tourist attractions, but many of the tourists visit it during a trip to the famous Mount Fuji, sometimes not even realizing that this is the most sinister point in Japan. The forest of suicides, spread out at the foot of the volcano, is the exact opposite of the beauty and majestic tranquility of the main peak of the country.

Story. Description

864 - Mount Fuji erupts violently. A powerful lava flow, which descended along the northwestern slope, formed a huge lava plateau with an area of 40 square meters. km, on which a very unusual forest began to grow. The soil is pitted, so it seems that someone was trying to uproot centuries-old trunks. The roots of the trees, not being able to break through the hard lava rock, go up, intricately intertwining over the rock fragments that were once ejected from the mouth of the volcano. The relief of the forest area is furrowed with crevices and many caves, some of them extend underground for several hundred meters, and there are those where the ice does not melt even in summer.

The Aokigahara area is one of favorite places recreation for Tokyo residents on weekends. There are paths for walking in the forest, picnics are arranged on vast lawns, children play ball or fly a kite, and tourist booklets tell you serenely about birds, chanterelles and flowers. Amazing Views Fujiyama attracts many photographers and artists to these places.

The Sinister Secrets of the Suicide Forest

But, these places are known not only for outdoor walks. The word "Aokigahara" is said by Japanese children in a whisper when, after dark, it's time for horror stories. Tourists must be reminded to be careful and under no circumstances deviate from the paths deep into the forest. In this sea of trees, in fact, it is easy to get lost: moving away from the path for several tens of meters, you can get lost for a long time, if not forever ... Even with a compass, you will not be able to get out of the dense thickets: magnetic anomalies make the arrow spin randomly, making this device absolutely useless.

However, most of all, the blood excites the legends about the numerous ghosts that live in the forest. These places gained notoriety in the Middle Ages, when in the years of famine, the poor, driven to despair, brought their elderly and infirm relatives to the forest and left them there to die. The groans of these unfortunates did not break through the dense wall of trees, and no one could hear the groans of those doomed to a painful death. The Japanese say that their ghosts lie in wait for lonely travelers in the forest, wanting to avenge their suffering.

Today in Japan, no one suffers from hunger, but Aokigahara does not cease to play its sinister role even now. Mystical landscapes and ringing silence of the legendary forest attract suicides. The number of suicides committed each year.

The official government is trying to stop this flow of suicides. The owners of local shops are voluntary assistants to the police: they track suspicious people, having learned to accurately isolate tourists from the crowd who have come here to commit suicide. Usually, they are men in formal office clothes, according to one of the store employees, "they hang around for a while before going down the path, and they also try not to make eye contact with anyone." Such cases are immediately reported to the police.

Restless souls

There is a rumor about the forest of Aokigahara that between the trees you can see the white ghostly outlines of yurei here and there. According to Shintoism, the souls of those who died a natural death are united with the spirits of their ancestors. And those who accepted a violent death or committed suicide become wandering ghosts - yurei. , come to our world in the form of legless ghostly female figures with long arms and eyes burning in the dark. And the ringing silence of the forest at night is broken by their groans and heavy breathing.

Reasons for suicide

Why do the Japanese, who seem to live in such a prosperous state, take one of the first places in the world in terms of the number of suicides? More often than other reasons, they call the loss of a job. Many say that the Japanese have become too pragmatic, and the lack of money means a lot in the modern world. However, here, perhaps, the mentality that developed many centuries ago plays an important role, when the loss of social status is perceived as the worst of evils and can lead to suicide.

Also, from time immemorial, another terrible ritual has come down to our time, called in Japan "suicide by conspiracy." In this case, it refers to the voluntary departure from the life of two lovers who, for some reason, cannot be together in this world. The belief that simultaneous death can unite them is very strong today. "Conspiracy suicide" is still so common in Japan that when the bodies of a man and a woman are found nearby, the police usually do not investigate thoroughly, considering the case obvious. One of these cases is mentioned in Seita Matsumoto's detective novel, published in Russia under the title "Points and Lines". Although this novel we are talking not about Aokigahara, it is still dedicated to the topic.

A surge in suicide pilgrimages to the Aokigahara forest was caused by the work of the writer Wataru Tsurumi "The Complete Guide to Suicide", which was published in 1993 and immediately became a bestseller: more than 1.2 million copies were sold in Japan. This book provides a detailed description different ways suicide, and the author described Aokigahara as "a great place to die." Copies of Tsurumi's book were found near the bodies of some of the Aokigahara suicides.

March 4th, 2016

We already had a terrible topic about Japan - here, but it turns out that this is not all.

Aokigahara (Jap. 青木ヶ原?, "Green Tree Plain"); also known as Jukai (Jap. 樹海?, "Sea of Trees") is a forest at the foot of Mount Fuji on the Japanese island of Honshu. The forest, which lies right at the foot of the volcano itself, is the exact opposite of the beauty and majestic tranquility of these places.

The total area is approximately 35 sq. km. The terrain of the forest includes many rocky caves, and the features of the location, in particular the density of the forest and the lowland, provide a "deafening" silence. It is also stated that there are extensive deposits of iron ore underground in the forest area, which seems to explain the fact that compasses do not function in Aokigahara. The land on which the forest is located is a volcanic rock that is quite dense and cannot be worked with hand tools, such as hoes and shovels.

But that's not what's terrible...

The fauna of Aokigahara includes wild foxes, snakes, and dogs.

Aokigahara is a national park that has several hiking trails that offer climbing Mount Fuji on the northern slope, as well as walks through a beautiful forest area. Since the forest is close to Tokyo and offers many different ways to spend time outdoors, Aokigahara is a popular place for picnics and weekend walks.

Attractions in the park include Ice Cave (氷穴 hyōketsu?) and Wind Cave (風穴 fu:ketsu / kazeana?).

In 864, there was a strong eruption of Mount Fuji. An indestructible lava flow descending the northwestern slope formed a huge lava plateau with an area of 40 square meters. km, on which a very unusual forest took root. The soil is pitted, as if someone was trying to uproot centuries-old trunks. The roots of the trees, unable to break through the hard lava rock, go up, intricately intertwining over the rock fragments that were once ejected from the mouth of the volcano. The relief of the forest massif is riddled with breaks and numerous caves, some of which extend underground for several hundred meters, and in some of them the ice never melts.

Rumor has it that white ghostly shapes of yurei can be seen between the trees here. According to Shintoism, the souls of those who died a natural death are united with the spirits of their ancestors. Those who accepted a violent death or committed suicide become wandering ghosts - yurei. Not finding peace, they come to our world in the form of legless ghostly figures with long arms and eyes burning in the dark. And the oppressive deathly silence of the forest is broken at night by their groans and heavy breathing. Those who decide to visit Aokigahara must have strong nerves. It happens that a branch crunching underfoot turns out to be a human bone, and the strange outline of a person in the distance is the corpse of another hanged man.

A surge in suicide pilgrimages to the Aokigahara Forest was caused by the work of the writer Wataru Tsurumi, The Complete Guide to Suicide, published in 1993 and immediately became a bestseller: more than 1.2 million copies were sold in Japan. This book provides a detailed description of the various methods of suicide, and the author described Aokigahara as "a wonderful place to die." Copies of Tsurumi's book were found near the bodies of some of the Aokigahara suicides. Local authorities concerned about the never-ending wave of suicides

On the forest paths posters of the following content are installed:

Your life is a priceless gift from your parents.
Think about them and about your family.
You don't have to suffer alone.
Call us
22-0110

It is impossible to say unequivocally how much these words reduce the number of victims, but every year dozens of new bodies are found in the forest. Of course, not everyone is found: there are those who settle scores with life in a completely unsociable wilderness. There, the remains of the weak in spirit are taken away by predatory animals forever making them part of this forest.

In 1960, a book by the writer Seicho Matsumoto "Wave Pagoda" (jap. 波の塔 Nami no to) was published in Japan, which told about a woman who once committed suicide in Aokigahara. Later, based on this novel, a television series was staged, which received extraordinary popularity in Japan.

Why do the Japanese, who seem to live in such a prosperous country, take one of the first places in the world in terms of the number of suicides? More often than other reasons, it is called the loss of a job. Many say that the Japanese have become too pragmatic, and the lack of money means too much in the modern world. But here, perhaps, the mentality that developed many centuries ago plays an important role, when the loss of social status is perceived as the worst of evils and can push to commit suicide.

Also from ancient times, another terrible ritual has come down to our days, called in Japan "suicide by conspiracy." This refers to the voluntary departure from the life of two lovers who, for some reason, cannot be together in this world. The belief that their simultaneous death will unite them in the other world is still very strong. "Conspiracy suicide" is still so common in Japan that when the bodies of a man and a woman are found nearby, the police usually do not investigate thoroughly, considering the case obvious. One such case is recounted in a detective novel by the same author, Seicho Matsumoto, published in

In 2005, the documentary The Sea of Trees (樹の海 Ki no umi?) was released, in which director Tomoyuki Takimoto tells the story of four people who decide to kill themselves in Aokigahara. At the 17th Tokyo International Film Festival, the film won the Best Film Award in the Japanese Cinema. Your look."

Japanese metal band Screw recorded the song "The Sea of Trees", based on the footage filmed in Aokigahara.