There is a forest in Japan where people go to end their lives “ the Aokigahara forest”. The Aokigahara forest is also known as the" sea of trees" and is located in Fujikawaguchiko town in the north Western side of Japan's Mount Fuji. Many Japanese believe this forest has an association with angry ghosts and is home to yurei:- meaning ghosts of dead in Japanese mythology. But in recent years,Aokigahara has become infamous and is known as “ Suicide forest” one of the world's most used suicide sites.

The Aokighara forest became the most popular site for suicides in Japan after the novel kuroi jukai was published. In this novel a young lover commits suicide in the forest so people started taking their own lives in this “ forest" at a rate of fifty to hundred deaths a year.

Suicide is a huge problem in Japan. The country has one of the highest suicides rate in the world. Japan is the only G7 country where suicide is the leading cause of death among young people of age group ( fifteen- thirty nine). In this rich beautiful country people live under tremendous pressure. 

So people come in this forest to end their journey. It's  a dark quiet place with no phone reception and no connection to the outside world.Even locals do not visit here because they were warned about this forest since their childhood. Since the forest sits at the base of Mount Fuji and it is too dense to patrol more frequently. There is a sign board at the entrance to stop people from taking such a drastic step . The board displays “ your life is a precious gift from your parents”, “ please think about your parents, siblings and children” . People who are indecisive about dying wrap tape or string on trees along their way,so they can find their way out. There are some  people who spend few days here figuring out if they want to die or not.  Some times they change their minds and return home but often times they don't. In October 2020 ,2153 people died of suicide in Japan which was more than their deaths from Covid-19.

But what is causing so many suicides. Japanese live under tremendous pressure. They have to be perfect in school. They have to have a perfect career and a perfect family. This pressure forces many people to break down and turn your suicide but this social stigma of “ perfection” isn't only common to Japan it's pretty much present in every country and this is what forces people to end their life.