# OUT & ABOUT in Japan # ... Suicide Forest Pt.1

                      WARNING ><><>< WARNING

                           ... THE PICTURES you are about to see ARE GRAPHIC!!

                           ... A DECAPITATED BODY was found by my friends and I

                           ... It was found in the Aokigahara Forest

                           ... This forest is now commonly called JYUKAI

                           ... It's a very popular place to commit suicide

     Aokigahara Forest lies on the North West side of Mt.Fuji in Japan.  It's more recent name, Jyukai, meaning the Sea of Trees is commonly used these days.  This name came about from the many people that ascend/descend Mt.Fuji as on the North West side can be seen this area of trees stretching 35 square kilometers large and is green all year round.

Carlos is standing below to get an idea how far the drop is from the ledge where I'm standing

 

     Jyukai hosts a number of tourist destinations such as an ice cave,  hiking trails and camp sites and near by lakes.  But Jyukai is actually more famous than all of the above for the following 2 reasons.  Jyukai is the second most popular suicide place in the world.  In 2011, 247 bodies were found.  Secondly, Jyukai is host to endless tales of ghosts,  spirits, displaced energy and the Japanese Yurei.  A Yurei is a spirit that lingers close to the body it has just left and has different characteristics to ghosts and spirits. 

# OUT & ABOUT in Japan # ... must be heat stress

     Japan is often considered a country that has strange and wonderful ideas, practices and inventions.  Summer in Japan is considerably HOT as the months of July, August and September roll through and there are all kinds of gadgets seen on the street to combat the soaring humidity and heat.

But it looks like some people just don't seem interested in having some kind of fan or contraption that will cool them down!!  A simple cave man technique of stripping down to the underwear will do!!  :))  This happened very recently on a train here in Tokyo!!

# Out & About in JAPAN # ... a scary forest!?!?!

     Now why would three sane guys be making such strange faces?
The answer lies at the North West base of Mt.Fuji in Japan. Next weekend we are on a mission to provide details and create a small documentary about a mystical place that all Japanese people fear.

     The area is called Jukai - the Sea of Trees. It's a fairly new name for the forest which is commonly known as Aokigahara Forest. The forest is 35 square kilometers of quietness, the trees are apparently so dense there that the wind hardly penetrates it's interior. The forest is also host to the world's 2nd most popular place to commit suicide. Stories are told of ghosts haunting, wild packs of dogs and pigs, compasses that go haywire and of people getting lost.

     For the six of us, Craig from Australia, Carlos from Mexico, Tony from South Africa, brothers A.J. and Steve from Canada and Paul from England that will visit the area next week, each of us has a reason to find out some truths as to the aura, the mystery and sadness this place holds for the Japanese people.

                                        Stay tuned for an update when we return from our adventure.