Japan's Suicide Forest

[ThermoNukePanda]

The Aokigahara Forest is the most popular site for suicides in Japan. After the novel Kuroi Jukai [The Black Forest, written by Seichō Matsumoto in 1960] was published, in which a young lover commits suicide in the forest, people started taking their own lives there at a rate of 50 to 100 deaths a year. The site holds so many bodies that the Yakuza pays homeless people to sneak into the forest and rob the corpses. The authorities sweep for bodies only on an annual basis, as the forest sits at the base of Mt. Fuji and is too dense to patrol more frequently.

I found this on MentalFloss, and while morbid, the video is actually fascinating. The Japanese geologist guy they're "interviewing" has some very powerful things to say. The video spoke to me on many levels, since I've battled depression for a long time in the past.

*Edit* ******, the embedding won't work. Head on over to MentalFloss at the link below if you've got a spare 20 minutes. It's a very powerful piece in my opinion.

http://www.mentalflo.../archives/71954

[MWB]

odd. i didn't even think japanese were that suicidal.

[ThermoNukePanda]

odd. i didn't even think japanese were that suicidal.

Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. Sad but true.

As the geologist guy pointed out, suicide used to be a course of action for Samurai (seppuku) that they did in order to retain honor. Now people kill themselves because they cannot deal with society, which is why he points out social interaction is very important since many people "live their lives online".

[PeeKnuckle]

I don't think it's too dense to patrol. Destination Truth went there at night and investigated it. Not only that, but they also ran across three Japanese tourists in the middle of the night.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3apdymIuQs

This doesn't show that part. It was the only video of that show I could find. There is some freaky stuff going on in that forest, though.

[CHINESE BABOON]

Their education system is and the way ti is set up is the primary reason for suicides.

[LGWyant]

i watched that episode when it was on PK... it was quite surreal at times. I kept wondering if they were there to steal, or die themselves.

[PeeKnuckle]

Those three Japanese tourists? They said they were there to see if they could find bodies. I don't know if they meant dead bodies or ghosts. The one that could speak English, didn't know much. I think if they were there to loot, they wouldn't have said it so easily. They didn't look poor or destitute. I lean on the side of them being mini ghost hunters.

That one figure DT caught on camera though.... freaky. It just unfolds from the ground to a standing position, and then back down again. Kind of like patio furniture.

[ThermoNukePanda]

Their education system is and the way ti is set up is the primary reason for suicides.

I 100% disagree with that statement. We can agree to disagree, but I don't see your point of view or how you could even come to that conclusion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_in_Japan

[Super Kev]

I friend from a long time ago (haven't talked to each other for a while) lives in Japan now (married a Japanese woman in Vancouver) said it's most common for the Japanese to simply "crack" and throw themselves infront of public trains. A lot of suicides go unreported and many that are never really leave the country. I think unless you live there (anywhere) yourself and experience it first hand it sort of hard to know what it's really like.

[ThermoNukePanda]

I friend from a long time ago (haven't talked to each other for a while) lives in Japan now (married a Japanese woman in Vancouver) said it's most common for the Japanese to simply "crack" and throw themselves infront of public trains. A lot of suicides go unreported and many that are never really leave the country. I think unless you live there (anywhere) yourself and experience it first hand it sort of hard to know what it's really like.

Death by train is #1. It's kind of sad really.

The reasons for them "cracking" though are numerous, and it's not because of the "school system" like Chinese Baboon commented about. A lot of it is for economic reasons (i.e. to get out of debt, etc), as well as various social pressures.

Retaining your "honor" in asian culture, especially Japan, is a very important thing.

[CHINESE BABOON]

Well I know the topic mostly from my Dad who majored in Eastern Asian cultures with a specialty in Japan. The way their education system works is that during your life you take multiple life changing exams, one after elementary school and one after HS and so on. Depending on how you do on these exams depends on what possibilities you will have in your lifetime and say if you do well you can be a Dr. and such but if you do poorly on the test after elementary school you may not even have the option to continue your education. This creates high stress among teens. I'm speaking just on what I've been told so I can't guarantee 100% of what I'm saying is accurate.

[ThermoNukePanda]

Well I know the topic mostly from my Dad who majored in Eastern Asian cultures with a specialty in Japan. The way their education system works is that during your life you take multiple life changing exams, one after elementary school and one after HS and so on. Depending on how you do on these exams depends on what possibilities you will have in your lifetime and say if you do well you can be a Dr. and such but if you do poorly on the test after elementary school you may not even have the option to continue your education. This creates high stress among teens. I'm speaking just on what I've been told so I can't guarantee 100% of what I'm saying is accurate.

Well, the corollary may be there, but I don't feel it's the major contributing cause or even a large factor in the high rate of suicide. Many other cultures have the exact same school exams/system, France included (I've been there many times, speak French, have attended French schools for a period of time, have hosted numerous exchange students over the years, etc).

You need to pass exams in order to be admitted to college. In many cases, passing the exams allows you free entrance to the college systems (at least in France anyways). Ireland is another example of having to pass tests in order to see what you qualify for. You don't see the high suicide rates in those countries, do you?

The pressure is on the students to succeed. We do not have that here in the US (to our detriment).

[PeeKnuckle]

I've seen old war video of Japanese villagers, flinging themselves off of cliffs, en masse. Japanese Generals also did this, to avoid surrendering to US troops.

Personally, I don't mind if someone decides to take their own lives. It's often selfish and even sometimes cowardly, but it's their lives. People close to them will hurt for a long time, but ultimately, it's their decision for whatever reasons. Even people with no resuscitate clauses, or prolonging measures.

[MWB]

Retaining your "honor" in asian culture, especially Japan, is a very important thing.

i'm more interested in retaining my "innards", but whatever. always did enjoy a good speculation contest. just don't speculate upwind, lest it blow back in your face.

[ThermoNukePanda]

i'm more interested in retaining my "innards", but whatever. always did enjoy a good speculation contest. just don't speculate upwind, lest it blow back in your face.

Hey, I didn't say "I" believe in it. Play nice MWB.

[ThermoNukePanda]

I've seen old war video of Japanese villagers, flinging themselves off of cliffs, en masse. Japanese Generals also did this, to avoid surrendering to US troops.

Personally, I don't mind if someone decides to take their own lives. It's often selfish and even sometimes cowardly, but it's their lives. People close to them will hurt for a long time, but ultimately, it's their decision for whatever reasons. Even people with no resuscitate clauses, or prolonging measures.

Yeah, that is the truth. Even in the video on that sign in the forest when they first walk in it talks about how the person should think of their family and close ones and how it will affect them and that they are never truly alone.