The interest of tourists in unusual and mysterious places will never cool down. More than a thousand of these places are visited by adventurers every day. However, not many of them know that real stories lie behind the colorful legends. Today we will talk about a place called "Suicide Forest", which is located in Japan.
What is Aokigahara?
Aokigahara, which means "Plain of Green Trees", has become famous not only for its beautiful landscapes and views. This place is known as Jukai and the Suicide Forest.
Aokigahara is a forest located at the very foot of Mount Fuji. It is located right at the foot of the volcano and is the complete opposite of the beauty of these places. The total forest area is 35 square kilometers. On its territory there is a huge number of rocky caves and ravines.
Geologists claim that there is an anomalous zone here, which disables the compass. There are vast deposits of iron ore underground in the forest area. The earth has a very dense structure and resembles a stone. It practically does not lend itself to processing with hand tools. Aokigahara is considered a relatively young forest, only 1200 years old.
Sightseeing tour of the forest
The "suicide forest" is fundamentally different from the forest belts in other areas. The reason for this was a violent eruption in 1707. The soil is completely dug out and covers the forest area unevenly. The roots of the trees are unable to penetrate the lava rock and therefore emerge in terrifying positions. The relief of the area is completely riddled with kinks and deep caves, into which it is very easy to fall. The maximum depth is up to 400 meters.
An amazing fact is that most of them are covered with ice that never melts, and the temperature in them can reach -10 degrees. In Japan, the Aokigahara forest is quite a popular destination. Several hiking trails are laid through it, which lead to the slope of Mount Fuji. However, even experienced guides do not risk staying in the forest at night.
Where did the name "Suicide Forest" come from?
Despite all the vibrant landscapes, many locals bypass the forest. Over the entire period of its existence, more than 15 hundred thousand people have committed suicide here. Of course, among these statistics, there are many who simply lost their way. However, most of the victims deliberately walked into the forest.
With the onset of darkness in this place they speak only in whispers, so as not to wake up and attract the attention of the spirits. Tourists are warned that night walks can be dangerous and must not turn off the hiking trail.
The forest acquired its sad fame back in the Middle Ages, when hunger and poverty raged. Residents were forced to bring the elderly and the infirm into the forest, where they died of hunger, lost in the thickets. The groans of the dying could not be heard through the tall trees, so no one could help them. The Japanese believe that the ghosts of the dead are still in the forest and are trying to avenge the painful death.
Eyewitnesses claim that they have repeatedly seen ghosts and incomprehensible shadows among the trees. They appear unexpectedly in the middle of the night and just as suddenly disappear. It is never quiet in the forest, it always seems that someone is moaning and crying in the dark.
It is believed that at night only two categories of people enter the forest: suicides and people who, on duty, must patrol this area. Every autumn, police squads scour the forest for bodies. On average, in a few such days, bodies of 30-80 people can be found.
For that. To reduce the incidence of incidents, signs have been posted on forest paths that read: “Your life is a priceless gift from your parents. Think about them and your family. You don't have to suffer alone. Call us.
The authorities of the surrounding cities are trying to fight statistics by setting up special patrols. According to them, the portrait of a potential suicide is rather monotonous - these are men and women in business suits with a small bag or backpack.
