Aokigahara (Sea of Trees)

Aokigahara, also called the Sea of Trees (Japanese name Jukai in some sources), is a dense forest on the northwestern flank and base of Mount Fuji on Honshu. Geologically the forest grows on roughly 30 square kilometres of hardened lava from Mount Fuji's last major eruption in 864 CE. Parts of the forest include lava-formed terrain and caves (the western edge has several caves that can fill with ice in winter) and are visited by tourists and school trips. In modern times Aokigahara has become notorious as a place where many people travel to end their lives. Multiple contemporary sources — travel writing, journalism, podcasts and blog pieces — document a frequently reported high incidence of suicides in the forest; some reports specifically note hanging as a commonly observed method. Journalistic accounts and blog posts describe discovered personal effects and suicide notes found in the forest. The porous lava rock and dense tree cover are repeatedly mentioned in sources as producing pronounced solitude and muffled sound, a physical characteristic often noted in accounts of visitors and reporters. Aokigahara has also been represented widely in popular media, inspiring books and films (including the 2016 American film The Forest), podcasts, and user-generated videos. These cultural treatments have amplified the forest's reputation internationally. While some sources reference paranormal legends or broadly allude to frightening folklore associated with the forest, the provided materials do not document specific named supernatural entities tied to Aokigahara; such claims are mentioned in general terms in media coverage rather than corroborated ethnographic sources. Social, cultural and environmental explanations — including Japan's wider suicide issues, the forest's reputation, and its physically isolating characteristics — are discussed in the sources as factors shaping why the site attracts attention and visitors.