Officially known as the Aokigahara Forest, one of the most mysterious places on the planet is better known as the Suicide Forest. As the name suggests, this is because of the sheer number of people who have taken their own lives there. Literally, hundreds of people commit suicide in this most chilling stretch of woodland each year.

Perhaps the forest attracts people who wish to take their own lives due to its own grim history of suicides – almost like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Or perhaps there really is something truly evil that twists peoples’ minds and thoughts. Or might we find that magnetic anomalies have such a macabre effect? Here are ten reasons that the Suicide Forest is a truly disturbing place.

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10 The Place Is Littered With Ribbons

If you venture into the Suicide Forest one of the first things you will notice will be ribbons. And while that doesn’t sound very chilling in itself, the backstory to them is. Each one essentially represents someone who at the very least went into the forest with the aim of killing themselves. However, many people would take a long piece of colored ribbon with them. They would tie it to a tree upon entering the forest. The reason for this was in case the person changed their minds and then could find their way back out again.

Quite often, though, if you were to follow these ribbons, you will often discover a dead body at the end of them. Quite often hanging from one of the trees. It is truly a grim reminder, for the all the other visual beauty of the region, that many people come here and never leave.^[1]

9 Personal Items Are Scattered Everywhere

Another harrowing discovery you should expect to find in the Suicide Forest are many personal items. Such things as mobile phones, notebooks, and even items of clothing. Sometimes these items will be discovered in small piles. Almost as if multiple people at different times have stopped in these spots to go over their thoughts. Perhaps for a final time.

You might also discover empty drinks bottles alongside boxes and packets of prescription drugs. Most people who take their own life here do so by hanging themselves. Some of the people who enter, though, opt to overdose on such medication.

Once more, what makes all of these items all the more chilling is the realization that each is connected to a once living person. A person who felt such despair that they took their own life here. And just to hammer that point home further, they very likely did so near the spot where the items are found.^[2]

8 The Ghosts Of The Dead “Encourage” Suicide

As we might imagine there are numerous tales of ghosts and spirits residing within the forest. However, some legends suggest that these spirits even encourage people to take their own lives as they roam through the trees.

It is a widespread belief in Japanese folklore that when a person dies a sudden or violent death, this will cause them to become a Yurei. These ghostly spirits are said to transfer their rage and anger on to those who wonder their way. Many people, for example, often speak of how they feel suddenly anxious with no reason. Or how waves of fear or panic overcome them without warning. Imagine, then, having these feelings while already dealing with genuine suicidal thoughts.

We might also note that there are several other locations around the Earth where people speak of suddenly experiencing intense negative emotions. As we will examine further in our last entry, the reason for this might one day prove to geological as opposed to paranormal.^[3]

7 Warning Signs Are Everywhere Discouraging Suicide

If any of the above doesn’t hammer home the sheer number of people who have taken their own lives in the Suicide Forest, then the numerous warning signs dotted around warning people specifically NOT to commit suicide perhaps will. And these signs can be found everywhere throughout the forest.

Not only do these signs contain the warnings attempting to convince people to change their minds against suicide, but they also advertise multiple phone numbers of organizations who attempt to assist people in such a dark frame of mind.

Whether these signs do make a difference to those who enter the forest with thoughts of taking their own lives or not is perhaps open to debate. The fact that authorities have taken these measures, however, perhaps demonstrates how seriously they take the problem. And when we view our next point, it is easy to see why they would do so.^[4]

6 Around 100 Bodies A Year Are Found In The Forest

It is thought that around 100 dead bodies each year are removed from the macabre forest. And what’s more, there are many more that remain there for years before discovery.

Special groups venture into the forest. If they find any dead bodies, they immediately notify the police. One member of the group – usually an older member – will usually remain at the scene so as to ensure nothing is disturbed. If by chance they discover someone alive and possibly still contemplating taking their own life, they will escort that person back to “safe houses” near the forest. Once there, they are strongly encouraged to accept the help they need to return from the dark place in which they find themselves. It is not hard to imagine why those who perform these grim duties grow tired of “tourists” visiting the forest and treating it as a spectacle.

However, as we will explore in our next point, we can’t be absolutely sure of these figures as Japanese authorities no longer publish them.^[5]

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5 Official Numbers Are No Longer Given

In a further effort to halt the sheer number of people arriving at the Suicide Forest to take their own lives, authorities would take the decision to stop publishing official numbers. And as well as those who succeed in taking their own lives, there are also hundreds of other attempts that for various reasons, perhaps they were talked out of it or simply thought better of their planned action, that are not successful.

Not only were the numbers appearing to attract the attention of the Japanese population, but even filmmakers would set their stories there, usually revolving around the protagonist committing suicide or entertaining thoughts thereof. Perhaps one of the best examples would the Gus Van Sant film Sea of Trees from 2015.

Once more, this is perhaps a great demonstration of just how serious a problem the suicides actually are. Whether this action has achieved a drop in suicides in the forest remains to be seen.^[6]

4 Camping Overnight Is Frowned Upon And Discouraged

For those looking to pitch a tent and camp in the Suicide Forest you will be strongly discouraged from doing so. And even then, you must really stay on the official trail paths. Ultimately, such ambitions are seen as disrespectful by many of Japanese. Perhaps because of this, those looking for grim adventure often take themselves deep into the forest away from the trails and watching eyes. This often leads to people becoming lost and disorientated.

What’s more, the temperatures often drop to freezing at night, which has the potential to cause further problems for those looking to stay in the forest overnight.

The main reason for this, though, is to discourage people to stay in the forest for a prolonged period of time. Especially if they are harboring thoughts of suicide. And when we move on to our next point, it is more than easy to see why.^[7]

3 Many Believe An “Evil Energy” Resides In The Forest

In a similar way to the legends about ghostly apparitions many legends revolve around the idea of the Suicide Forest simply being a place of pure evil. Whether due to spirits or simply an evil energy, some people subscribe to the theory that bad things happen there because of a supernatural force.

If we believe that evil manifests from past events, then the fact that so many people have taken their lives in this spot would certainly contribute to that. However, even before the spate of suicides in the late 20th century, the forest had a grim past. A good example of this would be the practice in the 1800s when many families would bring their elderly to the forest and leave them so they “could die with dignity” in the woodland.

It is certainly an intriguing if gloomy thought. However, for our next point we will turn to the history of the forest and how it came into being. And ultimately, why it might have such a dark spiritual nature.^[8]

2 Eruption Of Mount Fuji

The creation of the forest was down to an eruption from Mount Fuji in 864. The result of this was 12 square miles of lava being spread over where the forest now stands. Once the lava hardened nature took back the region as trees and hemlock grew in abundance. In the centuries that followed the Japanese worshiped Mount Fuji as a god. Furthermore, a great spiritual attachment was formed between the populace and the region.

This eruption also led to the formations of strange cave systems and caverns within the forest. Many of these are unexplored and often have myths and legends attached to them. This itself adds more layers of intrigue to the mysterious woodland.

Whether this beginning to the forest has a connection to its dark nature is speculative and up for debate. For our last point, though, we will turn to science and recent discoveries that might shed light on way the Aokigahara Forest seemingly causes, or at least, amplifies dark thoughts.^[9]

1 Might Magnetic Anomalies Cause The Suicides?

In recent years some researchers have suggested that geomagnetic anomalies might induce such dark thoughts in people. Especially those who are already suicidal anyway. It is the thought of some researchers that these geomagnetic anomalies take place under the ground where the forest resides. And given that these disturbances change all the time, that might show us why the suicide rate seemingly shot up in recent decades in the macabre forest.

The team who conducted the research also looked at other records of geomagnetic activity over the years in other countries. They would find that these often resulted an increase in suicides. And these, in turn, decreased when such geomagnetic anomalies ceased.

Perhaps one particularly interesting conclusion of the study was that these geomagnetic disturbances seemingly affected men much more than women. While more research and study is required on this theory, it is certainly an intriguing one.^[10]

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Millennials, Gen Y, Snowflakes—these are all names for the generation who were born between 1980 and 1994 – and the butt of so many jokes. In Japan they are called “Yutori” and they have just as many critics. They are the first generation who grew up with a more relaxed style of education and now as adults, find themselves pushing against the old ways of their ultra-disciplined parents—with mixed results.

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10 Valentine’s Day is a chore

Valentine’s Day in Japan has turned into a social minefield. In the 1950s, a chocolate company dreamed up “giri choco” meaning “obligatory chocolates” to boost sales on February 14th. They suggested women should spoil all the men in their life with chocolate gifts, but for some the list would stretch beyond male relatives to co-workers and bosses. Giri choco caught on and Japanese women—raised not to offend or appear impolite—would dutifully present their male colleagues with chocolate on the big day. To redress the balance, White Day was created in 1978 and every year on March 14th, men reciprocate with gifts of white sweets and candy.

An uneasy feeling about the custom has crept into society, with it being seen as outdated and sexist. Some workplaces are banning giri choco and without it, there is no White Day.

In February 2018, luxury chocolatier Godiva took out a full- page newspaper advert urging Japan to put the fun back into Valentine’s Day by dumping giri choco. It was a bold marketing move but it worked, and the holiday is evolving into a quirky emoji-filled occasion. Restaurants are cashing in by offering chocolate themed menus and women are buying gifts for themselves – with no pressure.^[1]

9 New Rules of Dating

Japan is now “mikon shakai” – an unmarried society. For centuries, Japanese parents arranged “omiai”—a formal introduction leading to marriage, while these are now seen as old fashioned, most parents still encourage their children to marry. In a society where women over 25 are charmingly referred to as “Christmas cake” ie, left over, and adults still living with their parents are called “parasite singles” the pressure is intense. Now Yutoris are taking control of their own futures and entering the dating game without their parents’ looming influence.

The term “konkatsu” was created by a sociology professor in 2007, roughly translated it means “searching for a potential partner with the purpose of marriage”. Essentially, a more modern form of omiai, it gives the power of choice back to those looking for love.

The dating game is complicated. A “gokon” party is a singles meet up, either casually arranged by friends or by professional matchmakers. You could try your luck at “shumikon” – where you learn a skill such as cookery alongside a potential partner, or “asakon” – an early morning dating event for professionals to squeeze in before their working day starts. The largest gokon comprised of 10,000 hopeful singles at a Tokyo stadium in 2015.^[2]

8 Men for hire

Traditional ideas of masculinity may be changing in Japan but there is still a market for old fashioned fatherly advice. This is why you need “ossan” meaning “old man” and they’re available for hire.

Once seen as a figure of fun, these friendly “uncles” are now charging around 1,000 yen ($10) an hour to listen and offer comfort to troubled Yutori, who may be too proud to confide in their own parents.

Stressed women not in need of ossan have another option – a handsome young man to wipe away their tears. A company called Ikemeso – a combination of the words “hot guy” and “crying” offer a choice of men to appeal to all tastes. They will arrive at your office and put on a sad film designed to get everyone sobbing in a group bonding exercise.

Other services available include partners for non-sexual cuddling and fake friends and relatives for special occasions.^[3]

7 Exam Scam

In 2019 for the first time ever, women out-performed men in entrance exams for Japanese medical schools. The reason? The schools stopped rigging test scores to give male applicants an unfair advantage. The scandal was uncovered by a newspaper who found that universities had been tweaking the results for over 10 years. The dean of Juntendo university in Tokyo explained:

“Women mature faster mentally than men…in some ways this was a measure to help male applicants.”

Most saw it as another example of gender discrimination. In 2016, just 21% of all doctors in Japan were women, compared with the UK at 47.2%.^[4]

6 Sneakerheads

American branded sneakers have reached cult status among Yutoris. In the early 1990s, the popularity of Michael Jordan together with Nike’s launch of the AirMax 95 sneaker created a fascination with the footwear and its fans became known as “Sneakerheads”. The district of Shibuya in Tokyo is where fanatics gather to buy rare brands to collect or sell on, for huge profit. The market is so lucrative, that some fans have been targeted by thieves and robbed of their valuable sneakers in the street.

Collaborations with celebrities and designers are the most sought after by Sneakerheads, causing huge queues on the day they land in store. Staff now insist on ID and enforce a dress code to check the style credentials of customers as Sneakerheads have been known to pay homeless people to queue for hours in their place. Some take their love of brands so seriously that there is now a small industry in sneaker authentication where you can pay an expert to check if you have bought the real thing. The business is shrouded in secrecy to protect staff from bribery and violent threats in a cut-throat industry.^[5]

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5 Halloween

Halloween arrived in Japan courtesy of Walt Disney in 2000 when Tokyo Disneyland launched its first celebration. Japan has embraced Halloween and all its traditions – except for trick or treating which is a step too far for the polite society and instead, it’s all about the costumes. For a generation hooked on cosplay – dressing up as a character from film, TV or manga—it is the perfect holiday. Every year since 2011, crowds of costumed revellers gather at Tokyo’s iconic Shibuya “Scramble” Crossing to drink and party amid the traffic chaos. Record numbers flocked to Shibuya in 2018 and the night ended with multiple arrests and an overturned truck. Public drinking is now banned in Tokyo.^[6]

4 Falling birth rate

In 2019, the birth rate in Japan fell to its’ lowest since 1899. A survey by the Japan Family Planning Association found that 45% of women were either not interested or “despised” sexual contact. There is a growing number of young men with dwindling sex drives named “herbivore men” due to their lack of interest in “flesh”. These “soushoku danshi” or “grass eaters” also despise the punishing work life the older generation, preferring a more passive existence.

Shinzo Abe, the prime minister has described the birth rate as a national crisis, but the reason for the drop could be simple economics. Long gone are the “salarymen” who dedicated their lives to one corporation, instead many Yutoris are employed on short-term contracts with little job security. Some Japanese parents will still oppose a marriage if the groom is not a high earning professional. More women are rejecting the traditional role of homemaker, preferring instead to have a career—the media has labelled ambitious female workers “carnivore girls”.

By 2065, the population is set to shrink from 127 million to 88 million, fuelled by the attitude of “mendokusai” meaning “can’t be bothered.”^[7]

3 Hidden Hãfu

As an island nation, Japan is often regarded as a closed society. Japanese people of mixed race are known as “hãfu” from the English word “half” and have struggled to find acceptance. They are not officially recognised as a social group and are banned from holding dual citizenship. The government records no data on people with only one Japanese parent, and there is no acknowledgement of any discrimination they may face.

Slowly, some young Japanese of mixed heritage are gaining recognition. Ariana Miyamoto was born in 1994 to a Japanese mother and an African-American father and won the Miss Japan contest in 2015. She was inspired to enter the pageant after the suicide of a mixed race schoolfriend but faced criticism for not being “pure” Japanese.

The Ministry of Health has predicted that 1 in 30 babies born in Japan today are of dual heritage, the majority to parents from neighbouring Asian countries such as China and Korea. A new word “mikkusu” based on the English term “mixed race” is beginning to be widely used and “hãfu” is now seen as belonging to Japan’s past.^[8]

2 #KuToo

Wearing high heels to work may be a personal choice for most women but in Japan, they are compulsory.

After spending a long shift in crippling 3-inch heels, Yumi Ishikawa tweeted about the unfair rule and kicked off a social media campaign. Women began sharing photos of their swollen and blistered feet tagged #KuToo – a combination of the words “kutsu” meaning shoes and pain “kutsuu”, plus a nod to the #MeToo movement.

Yumi started a petition in June 2019, proposing a law to stop businesses imposing women only dress codes and forcing them to wear the dreaded heels.
#KuToo has opened up a debate on gender discrimination and given a voice to women in a culture that disapproves of public emotion. Some companies have since relaxed their rules on footwear and Yumi has published a book about #KuToo where she writes: “It’s super-fun to be angry.”^[9]

1 The Lonely Princesses

The Imperial Throne of Japan is the oldest monarchy in the world. Emperor Naruhito ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019 and has one child, Princess Aiko. Also known as “Toshi”, as a female she can never rule Japan – that honour will go to the nearest male heir—her cousin Prince Hisahito. 18-year-old Toshi has more teenage angst than most because ancient rules state she must marry a nobleman – of which there are none left in modern day Japan. Marriage to a commoner means she will lose her title, status and money, cut off with a one-time payment and facing life as a private citizen.

Toshi’s aunt, Princess Sayako did just that when she married a government official and had to take a crash course in driving and supermarket shopping before her wedding. Toshi’s cousin, Princess Mako aged 28, became engaged to fellow student Komuro Kei in 2017 – followed by months of royal silence. The Imperial Family announced a postponement in 2018, and Mako stated: “It is because of our immaturity, and we just regret it.”

There are now six unmarried Princesses who will all have to choose between a life of independence or royal duty. Unless the laws of succession are changed, the future of the monarchy currently lies with a 14-year-old boy.^[10]

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About The Author: I am a true crime enthusiast and lover of words.