Why Do People Commit Suicide in Aokigahara Forest?
Aokigahara, also known as the Sea of Trees, is a 35 km2 forest that lies at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan. The forest contains a number of rocky and icy caverns. Over the years, Aokigahara has become a popular place for tourism and human suicide. In fact, it is the world’s second most popular suicide location after San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. Numerous signs have been posted in the forest urging people to reconsider their actions.
In 2002, 78 dead bodies were found in Aokigahara. The majority of the victims end their lives by means of hanging. Since the 1950s, more than 500 people have lost their lives in the forest, mostly suicides. In 2003, the rate climbed to 100 people, and in recent years the local government has stopped publicizing the numbers in an attempt to downplay Aokigahara’s association with suicide.
In 2002, 78 dead bodies were found in Aokigahara. The majority of the victims end their lives by means of hanging. Since the 1950s, more than 500 people have lost their lives in the forest, mostly suicides. In 2003, the rate climbed to 100 people, and in recent years the local government has stopped publicizing the numbers in an attempt to downplay Aokigahara’s association with suicide.
In 1970, several Japanese police, volunteers, and attendant journalists began an annual dead body search in the forest. Aside from the individuals intending to die there, the dense forest and rugged inaccessibility has attracted thrill seekers, who will often times stumble upon the dead. Many criminals have been known to visit the area in hopes of stealing from the bodies. The forest has a historic association with demons in Japanese mythology and is thought to be haunted.
Due to the wind-blocking density of the trees, and an absence of wildlife, the forest is known for being eerily quiet. The number of suicides in Aokigahara is often times attributed to the 1960 novel Kuroi Jukai by Seichō Matsumoto, which ends with two lovers committing suicide in the forest. However, the history of suicide in Aokigahara dates from before the novel’s publication, and the place has long been associated with death.
Due to the wind-blocking density of the trees, and an absence of wildlife, the forest is known for being eerily quiet. The number of suicides in Aokigahara is often times attributed to the 1960 novel Kuroi Jukai by Seichō Matsumoto, which ends with two lovers committing suicide in the forest. However, the history of suicide in Aokigahara dates from before the novel’s publication, and the place has long been associated with death.
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