Aokigahara

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View from Koyodai to the Aokigahara

Aokigahara ( Japanese 青木 ヶ 原 ), also called Aokigahara-jukai (Japanese 青木 ヶ 原 樹 海 ; German "Aokigahara tree sea") or Fuji no jukai (Japanese 富士 の 樹 海 ; German "Fuji tree sea"), is an extensive and dense forest in Yamanashi Prefecture in Japan .

The Aokigahara is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park , it includes three natural monuments , a local pilgrimage site and a natural bat cave . The forest is therefore a popular excursion and travel destination , but it is under special protection of nature and monuments . Despite its short development history, many, sometimes rare, animal and plant species live in its interior. In the general public, especially in the western media , the Aokigahara is known as the "Suicide Forest of Japan" because many people commit suicide in secret every year . Local authorities are working to prevent further suicides. Various urban legends claim that the forest is haunted and the place is cursed. Especially this negative reputation of the forest has numerous works of literature , horror movies and video games inspired . Conservationists complain that the forest is becoming increasingly littered .

Geography and history

Forest path that leads into the Aokigahara

The Aokigahara is located at the foot of Mount Fuji on its north side, west of Lake Saiko and northeast of Lake Shōji , between the communities of Fujikawaguchiko in the east and Narusawa in the west. Both localities are in Minamitsuru County and are in Yamanashi Prefecture . The forest extends over about 30 km² and thrives up to heights of 1300  m TP. It was formed around 864 AD after Mount Fuji had erupted continuously for ten days, broad lava flows had flowed down its northern flank and a wide, porous field of olivine basalt , Volcanic rubble , pumice gravel and tuff rock . The special composition of the lava led to today's conspicuously fine-grained soil structure and gave it its own name: Aokigahara lava . The Aokigahara now developed on this area and spread rapidly. In terms of development history, the forest is about 1200 years old, the oldest trees are estimated to be 200 years old.

Inside the Aokigahara are the Narusawa Ice Cave , the Fugaku Wind Cave and the Dragon Palace Cave , all three of which have been registered as natural monuments since 1929. The caves were created by underground lava flows, which after they dried up left behind cavities and tunnels. On the western edge of the Aokigahara is the Saiko bat cave . The Aokigahara itself has been the main area of ​​a much-visited nature reserve since February 24, 1926; this in turn has been part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park since 1950, which is why the forest has been under special protection of nature and monuments since then. Today an expressway, the national road 139 , runs through the Aokigahara .

Flora and fauna

Female frilled bear with cubs

The local wildlife of the Aokigahara includes a variety of bats , mice and birds , some of which are very rare. The more common bird species, for example, include Tit , Willow Tit , Long-tailed Tit , Great Spotted Woodpecker , Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker , check throttle , lesser cuckoo , Common Cuckoo and jays . The shy collar bear ( Ursus thibetanus ) and the mole species Mogera imaizumii, endemic to north and central Japan , also live in the forest . The sika deer is a regular guest of the forest .

The forest is also home to numerous species of beetles and butterflies , including rarities. The more common types include, for example, imperial mantle , blue buckthorn , black-brown pied butterfly and C-butterfly . Most butterflies live in plants and shrubs on the edge of the forest, but some can also be found deep inside the forest. Unusual spiders were discovered in the Dragon Palace Cave, whose way of life is adapted to the permanent cold inside the cave. The pine-eating caterpillars of Epinotia piceae belong to the forest pests .

The Aokigahara as a forest is mainly composed of hemlock firs and hinoki false cypresses . In addition, various types of holly as well as Mongolian oaks , Japanese cherry blossoms and Japanese maples dominate the undergrowth . Furthermore occur: Japanese cedar , Japanese red pine , Pinus parviflora , distylum Acer , Acer Micranthum , Acer Sieboldianum , Acer tschonoskii , ornamental cherry birch , Chengiopanax sciadophylloides, Clethra barbinervis , enkianthus campanulatus , Euonymus macropterus, Pieris japonica , Japanese flowering cherry, Rhododendron dilatatum , Skimmia japonica f. repens, Sorbus commixta and Toxicodendron trichocarpum . Among the many flowering plants include: creation Artemisia princeps, Corydalis incisa, Maianthemum dilatatum, Oplismenus undulatifolius , Japanese knotweed , miscanthus , . Boehemeria tricuspis var paraspicata , Cirsium nipponicum var incomptum. , Snow Loosestrife , bird vetch , Vicia unijuga , Campanula punctata and white clover . Among the botanical features in Aokigahara counts chlorophyll-free , parasitic living monotropastrum humile .

In particular, the area close to the ground and the forest floor itself are dense and lush overgrown with mosses and ferns, in many places the mosses hang down like beards and give the interior of the forest a primeval look. Due to the porous volcanic soil, which is rich in debris, trees and shrubs only have very shallow roots. Together with the deceptive moss cover, the root system makes it difficult to safely walk through the forest, and climbing the rock formations near the top of the forest is also associated with risks due to the porous soil.

tourism

Entrance to the Narusawa Ice Cave
Entrance to the Fugaku wind cave

Because of the three volcanic caves, the bat cave and the extraordinary silence inside, the Aokigahara is officially a recreational and hiking area; in summer, hikers can also find refuge from the heat here. The forest is accordingly a popular travel and excursion destination and therefore plays a not insignificant role in the local tourism industry . The vast majority of tourists are locals, Chinese and Europeans . Since the forest nestles right next to the Saiko Lake, its banks are often sought out by anglers , the Saiko itself is used by water sports enthusiasts , especially in summer . The Aokigahara offers nature lovers an additional attraction with the numerous rare animal and plant species. From both Fujikawaguchiko and Narusawa, two signposted nature trails lead through the forest, the Koyodai nature trail and the Gōten-niwa nature trail. In addition to the three large caves as the main attractions, there are other smaller caves in the Aokigahara, for example the Amayadori wind cave and the Hanabusa ice cave. In the northeast, the Yasho-no-mori Bird Park and the Iyashi-no-satori open-air museum border the forest. In the Dragon Palace Cave there is also the Senoumi Shrine , which has been a local pilgrimage site for a long time .

Suicidants and missing persons

Inside of the Aokigahara
Rest area in Aokigahara

In modern times, especially in the western media and subcultures , the Aokigahara has become known for the terrifying number of corpses found . Almost without exception, the dead are suicides who specifically penetrate deep into the forest, seek out suitable hiding places and finally commit suicide (mostly by hanging or poisoning). The fact that the Aokigahara of all places is often chosen as a suicide site is said to go back to two novels by the Japanese writer Matsumoto Seichō . The first novel was published in 1957 under the title Nami no tō (Japanese 波 の 塔 ; Eng. "The Wave Tower" or "Tower of the Waves") and tells of a young woman named Yuriko who withdraws to the Aokigahara because of spurned love kills himself there. The second novel was published in 1960 under the title Kuroi jukai (Japanese 黒 い 樹 海 ; Eng . "Black Sea of ​​Trees") and also deals with suicides in the Aokigahara, in this case a couple in love.

As early as the 19th century, impoverished families in the region were allegedly forced to abandon small children and elderly people in need of care during famine in forests such as the Aokigahara and leave them to die. This practice came to be known as Ubasute , but has not historically been proven beyond doubt. The spirits of the victims are said to still dwell in the forest today. The urban legends about the forest began from this tradition. The earliest recordable reports of suicidants found dead come from the period between 1950 and 1960, some of them from years before Seichō's novels. In July 1954 , the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported on the suicide of a mother with child, and in November 1955 it reported the suicide of a worker. In later years the newspaper also reported regularly on incidents in the Aokigahara, for example in October 1993 about two suicidal people, of whom only one - and only barely - could be saved.

Every year since 1971, police and fire service personnel as well as volunteers have combed the forest in search of corpses. In 2002 a total of 78 deaths were counted, the highest number to date. In 2003 this number was exceeded with 105 deaths. It is feared, however, that there are more corpses, but that they were not found due to the density of the undergrowth. Police records indicate that there were an estimated 247 suicide attempts in 2010, of which 54 were successful. It is seen as particularly problematic that the Aokigahara is recommended to potential suicides both on the Internet and in freely available literature; For example, the Japanese author Wataru Tsurumi published his controversial work Kanzen jisatsu manyuaru ( 完全 自殺 マ ニ ュ ア ル ; English book title: The Complete Manual of Suicide ) in 1993 , in which he described the Aokigahara as "the perfect place to die". Since suicide is still regarded as "honorable" among Japanese men to this day, there is little political or social resistance to such publications. Mangas also pick up on stories and rumors surrounding the place.

Due to the density and monotony of the undergrowth, people who leave the official paths can quickly lose their orientation and get lost in the forest. Since the forest floor is also extremely uneven, porous and criss-crossed with hollows and crevices, there is also a certain risk of an accident. The Aokigahara is therefore also known for its high number of missing people; however, most of them are quickly found.

Public and media interest

Because of the corpse finds, the Aokigahara is considered to be “cursed” by the general public, and there are said to be frequent ghosts there. Allegedly, the ghosts of Ubasute victims wander around the forest and ghosts and yōkai dwell in the forest and mislead visitors and hikers or even drive them to suicide. On the video portal YouTube , both private recordings and serious documentaries from inside the Aokigahara are increasing .

Even today, patrols , forest workers and volunteers regularly roam the forest to track down those at risk of suicide and, if possible, to deter them from suicide. Forest workers must always report corpses found and often assist the police in removing corpses. On the official hiking trails, near the forest entrances, there are signs with information about the offers of the telephone counseling as well as prayers and reminders. This is intended to induce potential suicidants to turn back and thereby prevent a further increase in suicides. As a further measure to reduce killing attempts, the police and the press have switched to no longer publicly disclosing the numbers and names of victims. In this way, the local authorities also want to ensure that the actually positive reputation of the Aokigahara does not deteriorate further and possibly deter tourists.

Both tourists and journalists and Ranger Mark unofficial or closed trails and footpaths with colorful ribbons and plastic bands to hinauszufinden out of the forest. Also suicidants often use tapes like this to find their way back if they do not want to kill themselves after all; accordingly, the tapes often lead seekers to abandoned camps. This application of plastic straps , actually intended as a precautionary measure, has led to debates and criticism among conservationists who fear littering of the forest. Leaving the tents behind, personal property and leftover food is also lamented.

The possibility of actually finding corpses has led to a negatively perceived type of "thrill tourism" in recent years (as of 2019). An outstanding example of this occurred in November 2017 when YouTuber Logan Paul entered the Aokigahara with friends and penetrated cordoned off areas. There he took pictures of himself and a suicidal man who had hanged himself. Paul uploaded the video to YouTube and other social media on December 31, 2017 ; it caused criticism and horror worldwide. YouTube deleted the video shortly afterwards, and Paul was forced to remove it on social media websites.

Another negative consequence of the forest's bad reputation is looting : there are regular reports of thieves combing the forest in search of abandoned purses, credit cards and jewelry.

Modern receptions

The reputation of the Aokigahara as a "suicide forest" and "cursed place" has inspired numerous drama and horror films as well as mangas , novels and computer games :

Drama and horror films (selection)
Video games (selection)
Comics (selection)
Mangas (selection)
Literary receptions (selection)
Music (selection)

literature

  • Loren Coleman: The Copycat Effect: How the Media and Popular Culture Trigger the Mayhem in Tomorrow's Headlines . Pocket Books, New York 2014, ISBN 1416505547 .
  • Francesca Di Marco: Suicide in Twentieth-Century Japan . Routledge, London (UK) 2016, ISBN 1317384288 .
  • Robert B. Durham: Modern Folklore . Lulu.com, Raleigh (North Carolina) 2015, ISBN 9781312909694 .
  • Alfred G. Killilea, Dylan D. Lynch: Confronting Death: College Students on the Community of Mortals . iUniverse, Bloomington (Indiana) 2013, ISBN 9781475969771 .
  • David John Lu: Japan: A Documentary History, Volume 2 . (= Japan, a Documentary History: The Late Tokugawa Period to the Present , Volume 2). ME Sharpe, London (UK) 1997, ISBN 0765600366 .
  • Kuniyasu Mokudai, Mahito Watanabe and others a .: Natural Heritage of Japan: Geological, Geomorphological, and Ecological Aspects . Springer International Publishing, Cham 2017, ISBN 3319618962 .
  • Peter Robinson, Sine Heitmann, Peter Dieke: Research Themes for Tourism . CABI, Wallingford 2011, ISBN 1845936981 .
  • Damien Rudd: Sad Topographies . Simon & Schuster, London (UK) 2017, ISBN 978-1-4711-6929-8 .
  • John A. Stanturf: Restoration of Boreal and Temperate Forests, Second Edition (= Integrative Studies in Water Management & Land Development , 13th volume). CRC Press, Boca Raton 2016, ISBN 1482211971 .
  • Hiroko Yoda, Matt Alt: Yurei Attack !: The Japanese Ghost Survival Guide . Tuttle Publishing, North Clarendon (Vermont) 2012, ISBN 1462908926

Web links

Commons : Aokigahara  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Hiroko Yoda, Matt Alt: Yurei Attack! . P. 100
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g Peter Robinson, Sine Heitmann, Peter Dieke: Research Themes for Tourism . P. 172.
  3. ↑ a b c d e f Yamanashi Kankou: The nature found in the Aokigahara "sea of ​​trees" . In: yamanashi-kankou.com (English); accessed on December 29, 2017.
  4. ^ A b c Francesca Di Marco: Suicide in Twentieth-Century Japan . Pp. 119-121 & 129-131.
  5. ↑ a b c d Robert B. Durham: Modern Folklore . Page 18.
  6. ↑ a b c d Kuniyasu Mokudai, Mahito Watanabe u. a .: Natural Heritage of Japan . P. 170.
  7. ↑ Hirokazu Katō, Harufumi Noro: Volcanoes and geothermal fields of Japan (= 29th IGC field trip guide book , 4th volume). Geological Survey of Japan, Tsukuba 1992, pp. 16 & 27.
  8. ↑ a b Damien Rudd: Sad Topographies . P. 206.
  9. ↑ 富士山 原始 林 及 び 青木 ヶ 原 樹 海 . Bunka-chō , accessed January 17, 2015 (Japanese).
  10. ↑ a b Yamanashi Kankou: The Aokigahara sea of ​​trees walking course . In: yamanashi-kankou.com (English); Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  11. ↑ Shinsuke Koike, Toshihiro Hazumi: Notes on Asiatic black bears denning habits in the Misaka Mountains, central Japan . In: Ursus , 19th edition, 1st quarter 2008, ISSN 1537-6176, pp. 80–84.
  12. ↑ Kimiyuki Tsuchiya, Hitochi Suzuki, Akio Shinohara and others. a .: Molecular phyllogeny of East Asian moles inferred from the sequence variation of the mitochondrial cytochrome b-gene . In: Genes Genetic Systems , 75th Edition, January 18, 2000, ISSN 1341-7568, pp. 17-24. ( PDF file ; English), accessed on December 2, 2017.
  13. ↑ a b John A. Stanturf: Restoration of Boreal and Temperate Forests, Second Edition . P. 371.
  14. ↑ a b Masahiko Kitahara: Diversity and rarity hotspots and conservation of butterfly communities in and around the Aokigahara woodland of Mount Fuji central Japan . In: Ecological Research , 18th edition September 2003, Springer-Verlag, ISSN 0912-3814, pp. 503-522.
  15. ^ Hajime S. Tori: A Consideration of the Distribution of Some Troglobionts in Japanese Caves . In: Japanese Journal of Zoology: Nihon Dōbutsugaku Shūhō, Volumes 12-13 . Science Council of Japan, Tokyo 1956, ISSN 0368-2889, p. 559.
  16. ↑ Masahiko Kitahara, Mitsuko Yumoto, Takato Kobayashi: Relationship of butterfly diversity with nectar plant species richness in and around the Aokigahara primary woodland of Mount Fuji, central Japan . In: Biodiversity and Conservation , 17th edition 2008, 1st quarter. Springer-Verlag Tokyo, ISSN 0960-3115, pp. 2713-2734.
  17. ↑ a b c d e Daniel Krüger: The macabre legend of the Aokigahara forest . In: welt.de , March 18, 2017, accessed December 16, 2017.
  18. ^ A b Alfred G. Killilea, Dylan D. Lynch: Confronting Death . Pp. 187-188.
  19. ^ David John Lu: Japan: A Documentary History, Volume 2 , page 592.
  20. ↑ Japan's Suicide Forest: Aokigahara Forest Profiled In VICE Documentary (VIDEO) . In: huffingtonpost.com , May 10, 2012 (English); accessed on December 4, 2017.
  21. ↑ Loren Coleman: The Copycat Effect . Page 244.
  22. ↑ a b Aokigahara: The Sad Sea of ​​Trees . Internet article on wordpress.com (English); last accessed on January 29, 2018.
  23. ↑ Internet article by the BBC on the Logan Paul video from January 2, 2018 on bbc.com (English); last accessed on January 29, 2018.
  24. ^ Ki no umi. on: imdb.com . (Japanese); accessed on January 29, 2018.
  25. ↑ 47 Ronin. on: imdb.com . (English); accessed on December 17, 2017.
  26. ^ The Sea of ​​Trees. on: imdb.com . (English); accessed on December 2, 2017.
  27. ^ The Forest. on: imdb.com . (English); accessed on December 2, 2017.
  28. ^ The People Garden. on: imdb.com . (English); accessed on December 2, 2017.
  29. ↑ The game's website at: tokyodark.com (English); accessed on December 2, 2017.
  30. ↑ Akatsuki Blitzkampf on: eonet.ne.jp ; (Japanese); accessed on December 17, 2017.
  31. ↑ Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water on: nintendo.co.jp ; (Japanese); accessed on December 17, 2017.
  32. ↑ Tales from The Suicide Forest at: comixology.com ; (English); accessed on February 7, 2018.
  33. ↑ Call of The Suicide Forest at: comixology.com ; (English); accessed on February 7, 2018.
  34. ^ The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service at: animenewsnetwork.com ; (English); accessed on December 17, 2017.
  35. ↑ I Am a Hero at: carlsen.de , accessed on December 17, 2017.
  36. ^ Marion Poschmann: Die Kieferninseln: Roman . Suhrkamp, ​​Berlin 2017, ISBN 351873735X , p. 91ff.
  37. ↑ Juliane Kehr: Music magazine 'Visions': Record of the week: Shining (SWE) - X - Varg Utan Flock with mention of the song Mot Aokigahara on: visions.de , accessed on January 5, 2018.

Coordinates: 35 ° 28 ′ 12 ″  N , 138 ° 37 ′ 11 ″  E