Aokigahara: Japan’s Forest of LIFE & DEATH

Also known in Japanese as Jukai, or the “Sea of Trees,” Aokigahara is a forest located at Mount Fuji’s northwestern base, and its name suits it well: It is a dense sea of green that, while undeniably beautiful, also has an eerie quality to it, one that goes way beyond its tangled roots and silent pathways. There is a unique atmosphere to be found here, one that is tied not only to the forest’s natural characteristics, but also to a deeper and more complex story, shaped by history, folklore… and most of all human struggles.
Over the past few decades especially, Aokigahara has become a place associated with DEATH more than anything, drawing in individuals who seek to spend their final moments here.

But why Aokigahara? What is it about this dense, mysterious “Sea of Trees” that has made it a destination tied to both natural wonder and profound human struggle?
In this video, I would like to take you on a field trip into Aokigahara, exploring its long and interesting history, its unique natural characteristics, its cultural significance… but also the sad stories it has to offer when it comes to mental health and the human condition.


#japan #forest #history


📞 S*icide Prevention Resources:

findahelpline.com/


Thumbnail Photo by Luis Del Río Camacho (unsplash.com/@luisdelrio)


SOURCES:

travelnoire.com/suicide-forest

history.howstuffworks.com/world-history/suicide-fo…

mllemacabre.wordpress.com/tag/aokigahara/

www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/common/001563619.pdf

www.city.fujiyoshida.yamanashi.jp/div/bosai/html/h…

www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/the-buddhas-of-mo…

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sokushinbutsu

ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B3%A2%E3%81%AE%E5%A1%94

www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/2059673#CommunityRe…

www.economist.com/asia/2016/01/28/deep-in-the-wood…

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6571574/

www.researchgate.net/publication/228380850_Unemplo…

ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%AE%8C%E5%85%A8%E8%87%AA%…

www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2011/06/26/general/insid…

edition.cnn.com/2018/01/03/health/japan-suicide-fo…

ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%9D%92%E6%9C%A8%E3%83%B6%…

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1943-278…


CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro
03:54 - Volcanic Roots
06:47 - Jisatsu
08:13 - Buddhist Monks
10:39 - Towering Waves
13:50 - The Manual
16:48 - Key Factors
19:06 - The “Perfect Place”
21:21 - Myths & Rumors
23:17 - International Infamy
25:12 - Measures
26:25 - Outr