6 Fascinating Facts About Aokigahara, Japan's Legendary Suicide Forest

Of all the new horror movies slated for 2016 so far, The Forest (starring Natalie Dormer and Taylor Kinney) is especially unique. That's because the Aokigahara forest is very real, and the events of the film more or less accurately capture what the forest is like. Of course, the cinematic version of the spirits and supernatural energies are much more hyperbolized, but in reality, the magnetic forces, the menacing demons, and the eerie quiet are very much a part of the myths passed down for generations in Japan. Granted, we already got Dormer's firsthand account, but to help illustrate what the forest is like in real life, we consulted National Geographic's Guide to the World's Supernatural Places. Keep reading to find out the origin, the mythology, and the real-life dangers of Aokigahara, and then prepare to venture into The Forest, in theaters now.