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.

01
It's Referred to as the "Sea of Trees"
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It's Referred to as the "Sea of Trees"

The forest surrounds the base of the gargantuan Mount Fuji, which is Japan's tallest mountain. It really is a sea, too; the trees are so dense, no wind can pass through the forest itself.

02
The Forest Itself Is Dark, Ominous, and Eerily Quiet
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The Forest Itself Is Dark, Ominous, and Eerily Quiet

There is no wildlife. The ice in the caverns never melts. Compasses mysteriously malfunction in its depths.

03
Aokigahara Has Mythological Roots
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Aokigahara Has Mythological Roots

Japanese myths regard Mount Fuji as a gateway to heaven. Originally, the fire goddess Fuji descended to the earth and gouged deep, scorching canals of supernatural force into the mountainside. The forces work like a magnet, preventing those who enter from ever escaping.

04
Demon Spirits Haunt the Forest Slopes
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Demon Spirits Haunt the Forest Slopes

They're called yurei, and according to legend, they're trapped souls of humans who died without atoning for their sins.

05
There Are Other Demons Besides the Yurei
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There Are Other Demons Besides the Yurei

Another notorious mythical demon is the tengu, which is a malicious creature in bird form.

06
One Particularly Infamous Tengu Dates Back to the 12th Century
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One Particularly Infamous Tengu Dates Back to the 12th Century

Legend has it that Emperor Sutoku was forced off his throne and into exile by his father. He died an anguished soul and vowed to haunt the nation in the form of a terrible creature. The tengu would hunt young boys and priests with his long talons and sharp eagle eyes, consuming their genitalia to feed his power. While the boys were returned home after the fact, the priests hung upside down from the trees in Aokigahara forest, until they died or went insane.