Aokigahara
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Aokigahara (青木ヶ原 ), also known as the Sea of Trees (樹海 Jukai), is a forest that lies at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan. The caverns found in this forest are rocky and ice-covered annually. It has been claimed by local residents and visitors that the woods are host to a great amount of paranormal phenomena. [1]
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[edit] Geography
The forest floor consists primarily of volcanic rock and is difficult to penetrate with hand tools such as picks or shovels. There are also a variety of unofficial trails that are used semi-regularly for the annual "body hunt" done by local volunteers, who mark their search areas with plastic tape. The plastic tape is never removed, so a great deal of it litters the first kilometer of the forest, past the designated trails leading to and from known tourist attractions such as the Ice Cave and Wind Cave. After the first kilometer into Aokigahara towards Mount Fuji, the forest is in a much more pristine state, with little to no litter and few obvious signs of human contact. On some occasions human remains can be found in the distant reaches of the forest, but these are usually several years old and consist of scattered bones and incomplete skeletons, suggesting the presence of scavenging animals.
A very popular myth states that the magnetic iron deposits underground cause compasses to malfunction and travelers to get lost in the forest. However this myth is largely false. Japan's Self Defence Force and the US Military regularly run training practices through portions of the forest, during which military grade lensatic compasses have been verified to function properly. Vehicles, GPS equipment, and other electronic devices function properly.
[edit] Visitors
It is also a popular place for suicides, reportedly the world’s third most popular suicide location after San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge [1], and (prior to the installation of the Luminous Veil) Toronto's Bloor Street Viaduct, due in some part to the novel Kuroi Jukai (黒い樹海 lit. Black Sea of Trees), which ends with the lovers of the novel committing suicide in the forest. Since the 1950s, more than 500 people have lost their lives in the forest, mostly suicides,[1] with approximately 30 suicides counted yearly.[2] In 2002, 78 bodies were found within the forest, replacing the previous record of 73 in 1998.[3] The high rate of suicide has led officials to place signs within the forest, urging those who have gone there specifically with the purpose of suicide in mind to seek help and not kill themselves. The annual search, consisting of a small army of police, volunteers and attendant journalists, began in 1970.[4]
Aside from those intending to die in the forest, the dense forest and rugged inaccessibility has also attracted the adventuring of thrill seekers. Many of these hikers marked their traveled routes by leaving colored plastic tapes behind, causing concerns from prefectural officials with regard to the ecosystem of the forest.[5]
In 2004, a movie about the forest was released, called Jyukai - The Sea of Trees Behind Mt. Fuji (樹の海 lit.Sea of Trees), by the director Takimoto Tomoyuki. It told the story of four different people who decided to end their lives in the forest of Aokigahara. While scouting for shooting locations, Takimoto told reporters that he found a wallet containing 370,000 yen (roughly $3,760 USD), giving rise to the popular rumor that Aokigahara is a treasure trove for scavengers.[6] Others have claimed to have found credit cards, rail passes, and driver's licenses.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b Amazeen, Sandy. "Book Review: Cliffs of Despair A Journey to Suicide's Edge," Monsters & Critics.December 21, 2005
- ^ Hadfield, Peter. "Japan struggles with soaring death toll in Suicide Forest," The Telegraph (London). June 16, 2001.
- ^ "'Suicide forest' yields 78 corpses". Japan Times. 2003-02-07. http://search.japantimes.co.jp/member/member.html?nn20030207b1.htm. Retrieved on 2008-05-03.
- ^ "Japan's harvest of death". The Independent. 2000-10-24. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/japans-harvest-of-death-635356.html. Retrieved on 2008-05-03.
- ^ "Intruders tangle 'suicide forest' with tape". Asahi Shimbun. 2008-05-03. http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200805020328.html. Retrieved on 2008-05-03.
- ^ "Scavengers unearth bountiful booty at Mount Fuji's suicide forest". Mainichi Shimbun. 2005-10-26. http://mdn.mainichi.jp/culture/waiwai/archive/news/2005/10/20051026p2g00m0dm027000c.html. Retrieved on 2005-10-26.
