Suicide Forest

 

I wasn't sure if I should post this strange spot or not,  but it's just too strange to not (and unbelievable sad).  This is the Aokigahara (青木ヶ原^?), also known as the Suicide Forest or Sea of Trees located in Japan.  It sits at the base of Mt. Fuji with an area of about 14 square miles.  The forest is so incredibly dense that little sun shines through, wind is virtually blocked and wildlife very limited.  The forest is dark, eerie and quiet.  You can't trust your compass in the area due to magnetic anomalies induced by rich deposits of magnetic iron in it's volcanic soil.  Oddly enough, the pristine forest is littered with items left by humans including shoes, dolls.. you name it.  But if all of that doesn't make this place strange enough, then it's suicide rate should certainly do the trick.  This forest is the most popular place in Japan for suicides.  Before 1988, about 100 suicides were year were recorded in the forest..  In 2003, 105 bodies were found and in 2002 the number was only 78.  The Japanese government no longer publicizes the numbers in an attempt to downplay Aokigahara's association with suicide.  However, in 2010 247 suicide attempts occurred with only 54 successful.  Currently the most common form of suicide in the forest is hanging and drug overdosing.

The Japanese officials have now placed signs in the forest in both English and Japanese urging suicidal visitors to seek help and not kill themselves.  The area also now has annual searches for bodies.  Sad.