This forest forced people to commit suicide. Find out why!

Did you know, there is a forest in Japan which is known to be a place where people go to commit suicide? Every year, hundreds of people venture into the forest but not everyone leaves, well, at least, not alive.

The world is full of scary places, there are many places on this planet that are stranger than the most alien landscapes we have ever imagined, and Aokigahara is one of them. Located at the base of Mt. Fuji, Aokigahara is perhaps the most infamous forest in all of Japan. Called "the perfect place to die," this forest is one of the world's most popular place for suicide. Also known as Japan's Demon Forest, the Sea of Trees and Suicide Forest, Aokigahara has been home to over 500 confirmed suicides since the 1950s. Truly a chilling place, this forest draws in those who want to take their own lives. Experts say that the two most common ways people kill themselves in Aokigahara are by hanging and overdosing on drugs.

It is not called the sea of trees for nothing. The forest surrounds the base of the gargantuan Mount Fuji, the trees are so dense, no wind can pass through the forest itself and its lush expanse blocks outside sound. Uncommonly, there is no wildlife reside here, so it is eerily quiet, even hearing a bird chirping in the forest is incredibly rare. Most of the time all that can be heard is the crunch of your own feet. The area is rocky and littered with caves for you to accidentally fall into. Complicating matters further is the common experience of compasses, cellphones or GPS being rendered useless by the rich deposits of magnetic iron in the area’s volcanic soil. All of this together gives the place a very unwelcoming feeling. 

There are signs posted in Japanese and English at several entrances to the forest with messages entreating troubled people to seek help, with messages like "Your life is a precious gift from your parents" and "Think carefully about your children, your family" in an attempt to discourage would be committers of suicide.

The forest is considered to be haunted by demons in Japanese mythology. Legend says that those who are engaged in this sea forest never return. Believers reporting a very high number of Yūrei (type of Japanese ghost, usually traditionally shown as wearing all white with long black hair that hangs in front of their face) who suffered a violent and unnatural death, and as well as demons. Locals claims they are vengeful, dedicated to tormenting visitors and luring those that are sad and lost off the path. Another hallmark of the forest are literal ghost sightings, with visitors sometimes claiming to see white figures drifting between the trees.

Annually about 70 corpses are found by volunteers who clean the woods, but many are forever lost in the very thick woods. Japanese authorities discontinued publishing exact suicide numbers in order to avoid making the place even more popular.