By Lisa Lee Harp Waugh

I recently retured from an extended trip to the Orient. I visited many haunted locations that locals and paranomal investigators often fear to tread. During a recent tour of Austraila I was asked to come to Japan to investigate and see if I could actually comunicate with spirits and ghost that did not speak the same lanugae as I did. The results actually have me quite perplexed in giving concrete answers to this day.

Aokigahara (青木ヶ原), also known as the Sea of Trees (樹海, Jukai), is a forest that lies at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan. The caverns found in this forest are rocky and ice-covered annually. It has been claimed by local residents and visitors that the woods are host to a great amount of paranormal phenomena. It is an old ancient forest reportedly haunted by many urban historical legends of strange beasts, monsters, ghosts, and goblins, which add to its serious and sinister reputation.

Some in the world will tell you it is one of the actual seven gates to hell! The location is said to haunted by demons as well as ghosts. These demons or those that make you take your life. I found these forest to be very disturbing and in my mind what a hideous place of beauty for a infernal hole to hell to be in.

Below is the video of the actual research for a Swedish documentary about Aokigahara Jukai, a forest near Mt Fuji in Japan. The forest is famous for being a place where people choose to commit suicide. With english subtitles.

 

I did feel strange from the second I was asked by my new friend in Australia to explore and investigate the actual death haunted forest with them. I did not know much about it, only what I had read on the internet. But that feeling was deep in me for something kept telling me that strange things were in store for me when we got there.

There are so many suicide’s in the dark mountain forest that I counted over 50 or more signs that have been put up for this specific purpose, asking distraught suicidal people to seek out immediate help and not kill themselves. My guide was very frightened and would often cover their eyes in fear of seeing a real ghost.

"The perfect place to die." That's how Aokigahara was described in Wataru Tsurumui's bestselling book The Complete Manual of Suicide. A dense, dark forest bordering Mt. Fuji, Aokigahara is infamous throughout Japan as a popular spot for those taking their final journey.

Reportedly the world’s second most popular suicide location after San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, due in some part to the novel Kuroi Jukai (Black Forest), which ends with the lovers of the novel committing suicide in the forest. Since the 1950s, more than 500 people have lost their lives in the forest, mostly suicides, with approximately 30 suicides counted yearly.

The forest floor consists primarily of volcanic rock and is difficult to penetrate with hand tools such as picks or shovels. There are also a variety of unofficial trails that are used semi-regularly for the annual "body hunt" done by local volunteers, who mark their search areas with plastic tape. The plastic tape is never removed, so a great deal of it litters the first kilometer of the forest, past the designated trails leading to and from known tourist attractions such as the Ice Cave and Wind Cave. After the first kilometer into Aokigahara towards Mount Fuji, the forest is in a much more pristine state, with little to no litter and few obvious signs of human contact. On some occasions human remains can be found in the distant reaches of the forest, but these are usually several years old and consist of scattered bones and incomplete skeletons, suggesting the presence of scavenging animals.

Ghost encounters of the wandering dead are said to be often encountered more then just frequently as well as many ghost photos and EVP's. My personal lack of being able to speak Japanese did not stop many spooks and specters from coming in contact with me.

Many also will tell you to look at the trees carefully because you can see the actual faces and images of the cursed dead in the bark. The photo below has a few strange images in it so I went to investigate it closer. That's when my head began to whirl. I actually blacked out.

Something strange happened to me in the shadows beneath the great Mount Fuji. Something that frightened me deep to my core, and made me think twice about searching for anything living or dead, or something else in this strange very haunted Dark Japanese forest.

 

A very popular myth also states that the magnetic iron deposits underground cause compasses to malfunction and travelers to get lost in the forest never to be found again. However this myth is largely false. Japan's Self Defense Force and the US Military regularly run training practices through portions of the forest, during which military grade many lensatic compasses have been verified to function properly. Vehicles, GPS equipment, and other electronic devices function properly also.

Some locals do call it the woods of death or even the actual dead's living hell. No one but the bored and the curious seem to be attracted to the area. I was really prepared for this investigation but thought at the time what a freak show the people near by must have thought as they saw me hug a tree.

My interpreter guide Mimi was very helpful in explaining to us carefully that; The actual entire forest is also a popular place for suicides, reportedly the world’s third most popular suicide location after San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge , and (before the installation of the Luminous Veil) Toronto's Bloor Street Viaduct, due in some part to the novel Kuroi Jukai (黒い樹海, lit. Black Sea of Trees), which ends with the lovers of the novel committing suicide in the forest. Since the 1950s, more than 500 people have lost their lives in the forest, mostly suicides, with approximately 30 suicides counted yearly. In 2002, 78 bodies were found within the forest, replacing the previous record of 73 in 1998. The high rate of suicide has led officials to place signs in the forest, urging those who have gone there to commit suicide to seek help and not kill themselves. The annual search, consisting of a small army of police, volunteers and attendant journalists, began in 1970.

I'm glad I had Mimi our local guide with us to tell me these important things, because I do not speak read or understand any Japanese what so ever.

Then it happened! I came upon a thing!

The above photo of me is a ghost image of when I was actually taken, when my body became possessed by one of the many ghost that haunts this tangled forest of death. Those with me a group of 10 people said I spoke beautiful Japanese and my face changes to take on that of the dead mans ghost who took over my body.

He went on to tell them how he had hung himself from this very tree that I am standing by in the photo. The man inside me told them of how he had died and that his hanging was actually botched and he died from starvation and lack of water over a 5 day period until someone came along deep in the woods and found his lifeless corpse.

He went on to say that he would kill himself again if he had to do it over again but would use another method so he would not suffer as he did. He also spoke of the many real ghost that came to watch him die.

His reasons for suicide as he spoke to them in a perfect dialect from the area of Fujikawaguchiko they say was flawless. He told of how his wife had left him to move to another nearby town with another man. And how she disgraced him and his family.

Typically most suicides are men, with over 71% of suicides in 2007 being male. The rate among the over-60 population is also high, but people in their thirties are most likely to commit suicide. Suicide is the leading cause of death for people under 30 in Japan.

I was very weak as the ghost left my body and I fell to the ground shaken by this to my very soul. I was not aware that I was fully taken over. I must tell you all here and now this is the first time something like this ever occurred to me in my life.

They said to look at my ripped clothes from where I tried to tear at my own skin. Four of those present said they had to hold me down to stop me from running away or hurting myself or them.

Railroad tracks are also a common place for suicide in Japan, and the Chūō Rapid Line is particularly known for a high number. And the next day that was our destination.

Aside from those intending to die there, the dense forest and rugged inaccessibility has attracted thrill seekers. Many of these hikers mark their routes by leaving colored plastic tapes behind, causing concerns from prefectural officials for the ecosystem of the forest.

Below is the actual ghost photo I took as we entered the forbidden forest of death. Whether it is a trick of the light or my camera on the fritz I am not sure but the image was the last "I took because my batteries were totally dead at that point."

In 2004, a movie about the forest was released, called Jyukai — The Sea of Trees Behind Mt. Fuji (樹の海, lit. Sea of Trees?), by the director Takimoto Tomoyuki. It told the story of four people who decided to end their lives in the forest of Aokigahara. While scouting for shooting locations, Takimoto told reporters that he found a wallet containing 370,000 yen (roughly $3,760 USD), giving rise to the popular rumor that Aokigahara is a treasure trove for scavengers. Others have claimed to have found credit cards, rail passes, and driver's licenses.

CNN article about the forest

Suicide in Japan is considered to be a major problem nationally. Causes of suicide include unemployment (due to the economic recession in the 1990s), depression, and social pressures. Japan has one of the world's highest suicide rates, especially amongst industrialized nations, and the Japanese government says the rate for 2006 is ninth highest in the world. In 2007, the number of suicides exceeded 30,000 for the tenth straight year. - Since 2008, the economic situation worsened in Japan due to the global financial crisis, and this has pushed the suicide rate in Japan even higher. The industries are becoming smaller which is causing higher unemployment. This in turn leads to the Japanese husbands being at home much more and this is causing domestic problems because it has been the traditional role of the Japanese women to be in the home. This situation has been the cause of some marriage breakdown, even divorce. Being unable to cope with these stresses, the Japanese men have turned to suicide.

The rapid increase in suicides since the 1990s has raised concerns, with 1998 having a 34.7% increase over the previous year.

Also, suicide of the youth in Japan is becoming more serious in recent years. The financial crisis has impacted also on the Japanese youth, and they see that there are few possibilities of work. A number of youth in Japan cannot see any improvement for themselves in the near future and because of this they are turning to suicide.

Common methods of suicide are jumping in front of trains, leaping off high places, hanging, or overdosing on medication. Rail companies will charge the families of those who commit suicide a fee depending on the severity of disrupted traffic.

A newer method, gaining in popularity partly to publicity from Internet suicide web sites, is to use household products to make the poisonous gas hydrogen sulfide. In 2007, only 29 suicides used this gas, but in a span from January to September 2008, 867 suicides resulted from gas poisoning.

ABOUT LISA LEE HARP WAUGH

LISA LEE HARP WAUGH Is a necromancer in the 21st century. She is by what may call a real conduit to the world of the dead. She dressers in ceremonial robes, draws magical circles on the floor and commands spirits from Heaven, Hell and all places in between to appear before her and communicate with the living. As a teenager she studied heavily The Black Arts by Richard Cavendish and The Grand Grimoire by A.E Waite, the Malleus Maleficarum and anything she could get her hands on by the great by Eliphas Levi, John Dee and the great beast, Aleister Crowley.

Waugh is what many have defined as the Most international traveling ghost hunter Necromancer to date.

 

HAUNTEDAMERICATOURS.COM Ghost Pictures - Original Haunted Articles - Paranormal Daily News

AMERICAS' MOST HAUNTED HOT SPOTS! "Haunted America Tours - The Next Icon Of The Paranormal" EXCLUSIVE NEW FEATURED ARTICLES Subscribe to the rss feed FRANKS BOX HACKS GHOST BOX EQUIPMENT HACKS MAKE YOUR OWN NIGHT VISION EQUIPMENT - HACKS GHOST MUSIC: I CAN HEAR REAL GHOST MUSIC CAN YOU? Real Ghosts at the Mytrles Plantation From Frank Lee "Real Ghosts" In Your "Dreams and Nightmares" MY LIFE WITH PARANORMAL ICON VINCENT GADDIS ~ "THE REAL VAMPIRE CHALLENGE" ~ NICOLAS CAGE: Lalaurie Mansion Forever Cursed! ALL ABOUT REAL GHOSTS AND HAUNTINGS KERRY VON ERICH SAID, YOU DON'T HAVE A CLUE! Ohio Valley Paranormal Researchers ~ OVPR THE GHOSTLY BODY IN BODIE By The Celebrities Psychic OUIJA FREE ZONE SOME PEOPLE ACTUALLY DO HEAR REAL GHOSTS SPEAKING TO THEM ... DO YOU? BLOODY MARY ~ CANDYMAN: INVITING THE REAL GHOST TO VISIT REAP INVESTIGATES HAUNTED BOWLING ALLEYS Enchanted Cottage ~ STRANGE ORBS on the STAIRS "Bowling with a Ghost"? ~ Haunted Bowling Alley's Are There Such A Thing? GREAT TRUTHS THAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM HUNTING FOR REAL GHOSTS: BY THE REAL GHOSTMAN Real Ghost Hunting The World's Most Haunted Places Questionable Danger THE TEN TOP "BESTSELLER" CRYPTOZOOLOGICAL BOOKS SUMMER 2009 CONGRADULATIONS TO THE TOP TEN BEST MOST HAUNTED PARANORMAL TALK RADIO SHOWS ~ BROADBAND - PODCAST - INTERNET RADIO 2009 - 2010 THE TEN "BESTSELLING" VAMPIRE BOOKS OF 2009 THE TEN MOST HAUNTED "BESTSELLER" PARANORMAL BOOKS SUMMER 2009 "THE TOP TEN MOST SOUGHT AFTER GHOST HUNTED, PARANORMAL INVESTIGATED AND SEARCHED AFTER REAL SCARIEST GHOSTS IN THE WORLD" DARK FORCE - THE TERRIFYING AND TRAGIC STORY OF THE BEAN FAMILY - Interview of William Bean, Jr. by Dyan Garris Paranormal Radio REVIEWS BY REAP DASH BEARDSLEY "The Most Haunted Man In Texas" Real Ghosts And Their Opinions On Family and Funerals “MYSTERIOUS JOURNEYS” IN GETTYSBURG BY MARK NESBITT DEVIL ROAD: DEVIL ROADS WHERE THE REAL EVIL AWAITS... DAVE AND TOM JONES 20 QUESTIONS - KAPS Paranormal Radio show A Quick Lesson in Hypnosis by Ms. Macabre "SEEING THE REAL GOAT HILL LIGHTS" Alexis Cohen's Ghost came and told me that she was dead! RESEARCHING THE MOST HAUNTED PLACES AND THINGS IN THE WORLD Unique New Ghost Hunting Equipment: For Actual Communicating with the Dead GHOSTS DO SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS: USING FRANK'S BOX ~ JUST CALL THEM ACTUAL TWITTERS FROM THE DEAD. Richard Trenton Chase: The Vampire of Sacramento ~ Is It Paranormal? OR DID HIS VICTIM PAINT HIS FACE IN HER OWN BLOOD? WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES! "REAL TRUE VAMPIRE ~ VAMPIRE TALES AND SECRET TRUTHS FINALLY ALL REVEALED -- by Lisa Lee Harp Waugh THE TRUE REAL STORY OF THE MARSHALL, TEXAS NECROMANCER Recession? Not in the world of Real Ghosts and the Paranormal! THE TRUE STORY OF THE MARSHALL, TEXAS VOODOO ZOMBIE QUEEN ... And of her many tall tales. By Lisa Lee Harp Waugh REAL VAMPIRES, NIGHT STALKERS, AND CREATURES FROM THE DARKSIDE BY BRAD STEIGER HOT PARANORMAL TOPICS: HAUNTED AMERICA TOURS REAL PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS: "People need to do their own paranormal research and not just believe what they read." Séance: An Adventure In Ghost Hunting REAL PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS: "If Its Paranormal, Always Expect Skepticism" HAUNTED DOLLS: "How To Tell If A Doll Is Really Haunted" How can I tell if you, your House, your home and your life are really haunted? "PARANORMAL DOWN TIME" ~ Is there such a thing? "THE GREAT PARANORMAL ESCAPE" ~ HOSTING A REAL PARANORMAL WEBNAR EVENT! Ghost Walk is proud to be chosen to host " The Doll House Cam" in association with Knight Paranormal Investigation. NEW JERSEY BIGFOOT - Includes Nancy Bradley's Personal Bigfoot Photo. TOP TEN HAUNTED WEB SITES YOU NEED TO VISIT! Cryptids Real Cryptozoology: Even More Evidence Is Still Out There! Including "Cryptozoology". HAUNTED: HAUNTED. ~ HAUNTED? ~ HAUNTED! REAL GHOST PHOTOS OF THE "PARANORMAL LANDSCAPE" 'Real Ghost Photos' Can Or Will They Ever Be Really Fully Explained? ZOMBIE ROAD WHERE THE LIVING FEAR TO WALK! If you believe in Real Ghosts, Bigfoot, Chupacabras, Mothman, Sea Monsters, Aliens and UFO's... You need to read this Today! The 2009 Top Ten Most Haunted Web Sites DO YOU THINK YOU MISSED A HAUNTED OR PARANOMAL ARTICLE PLEASE VISIT HERE NOW! NEW FEATURED ARTICLES Haunted Submissions Have a photograph or image or story of interest to Haunted America Tours visitors? Please visit this page. NEW GHOST PHOTOS ADDED TO GHOST GALLERY LARGE IMAGES FOR YOU TO BROWSE PLEASE VISIT HERE NOW! Also see: THE BEST GHOST PHOTOS OF THE YEAR 2008     Book The Real Things You Want To Do Worldwide! We offer over 5,500 sightseeing tours and activities in over 400 destinations Please visit here to learn more now!   There is more to the paranormal world then what you see! Please search our site! HAUNTED AMERICA TOURS Official Web Site is a ghost tour information site; our information is only as reliable as readers' contributed ghost and haunted reports. We assume no credit for your adventures, and accept no liability for your misadventures. Use common sense. Read our ghost hunting recommendations. Before visiting any "haunted" site, verify the location, accessibility, safety, and other important information. Never trespass on private and/or posted property without permission from the proper authorities. At HauntedAmericaTours.com we invite you into our Ghost Haunted Paranormal world where art, News stories, photography and the unexplained merge into a new landscape that will leave you truly spellbound. HauntedAmericaTours.com is a continuous work in progress; we will keep it updated for you on a regular basis, so that you can come back and see a ghost or two, and meet some new ones. HAUNTED AMERICA TOURS is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. By entering this hauntedamericatours.com - Haunted America Tours web site, in exchange for use of this website, you the user hereby agree to the following: The content of this website is for mature viewers only and may not be suitable for minors. If you are a minor or it is illegal for you to view nudity or mature images and language, do not proceed. This site is presented to you AS IS, with no warranty, express or implied. By clicking "I Agree" and then viewing our site, you agree not to hold the webmaster and staff of this site hauntedamericatours.com - Haunted America Tours liable for any damages from your use of these pages. As a condition of using this site, you must fully read and understand, and comply with the rules of this site, which may be located by following the "Rules" link on the home page hauntedamericatours.com - Haunted America Tours. HauntedAmericaTours.com is a continuous work in progress; we will keep it updated for you on a regular basis, so that you can come back and see a ghost or two, and meet some new ones. Please browse here and find what your looking for. Check out the other Categories and featured new articles about everything in the paranormal community today. And also enjoy your very haunted adventures safely. This site is for entertainment value only. We want to thank all the contributors, visitors and many regular readers that make hauntedamericatours.com so great! We couldn't have done it without you! If you haven't checked us out yet, what are you waiting for? Find out how to "Be Seen" in the above spot  Please Read Our Disclaimer. Haunted America Tours is not responsible for the content of external internet site links connected to or from this web site Web site property of bachigraphics.com © 2004 - 2011 Site Contents Copyright © HAUNTEDAMERICATOURS.COM 2010 All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of any component of this site, in whole or in part, is a violation of applicable federal copyright laws and international copyright treaties. WARNING - if you received email that says its from "hauntedamericatours.com", and has attachments, do not open them. They are not from Haunted AmericaTours.com. hauntedamericatours.com never emails attachments to anyone. YOU SHOULD NEVER - EVER - OPEN EMAIL ATTACHMENTS! [PLEASE NOTE: The articles released, posted, published OR issued by haunredamericatours.com and/orhaunted America Tours. Any errors, typos, etc. are attributed to the original author. The Articles releasse or reproduced solely for the dissemination of the enclosed information.] Haunted America Tours does not send spam, and will not sell your email address to anyone. Haunted America Tours does not support or endorse any myspace.com pages including spoof myspace pages claiming to be Haunted America Tours. If you receive a friends request or any other contact regarding Haunted America Tours on Myspace please disregard as we DO NOT maintain any presence on myspace or any other Internet blogging sites. www.hauntedamericatours.com Copyright © 1994 - 2010 all rights reserved Changing The Way You See The Paranormal World One Day At A Time! ADVERTISE AND BE SEEN ON HAUNTED AMERICA TOURS WITH OVER 10 MILLION HITS A MONTH WE REALLY MUST BE HAUNTING THE INTERNET 24/7 365 DAYS A YEAR!