▲

Every year, up to 100 corpses are found in Japan's Aokigahara forest, making it one of the world's most popular suicide spots. In this gallery, discover the dark history of Japan's suicide forest, and why so many people choose to end their lives in this eerie sea of trees.

▲Aokigahara is approximately a two-hour drive from Tokyo. The forest sits on the northwest flank of Mount Fuji.

▲Aokigahara has so many trees and its vegetation is so dense that it became known as the 'Sea of Trees.'

▲The stillness created by the dense vegetation and the absence of light and wind make Aokigahara forest a very eerie place.

▲

Aokigahara was romanticized in Seichō Matsumoto's novel 'Kuroi Jukai.' The novel tells the story of a young lover who commits suicide in the forest.

As if one novel wasn't enough, Wataru Tsurumi describes Aokigahara in his book, 'The Complete Manual of Suicide,' as the "perfect place to die."

▲Suicide in Japan does not carry the same stigma as in the West. 'Seppuku,' also known as 'harakiri,' was a samurai's ritual suicide. Until the end of World War II, this type of suicide was thought to be honorable.

▲

Yoshinori Cho, author of 'Why do People Commit Suicide,' said that there are still vestiges of this ancient suicide culture in Japan.

Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world.

▲

The Japanese government has implemented a number of measures to reduce suicide rates in the country.

Some measures put in place in Aokigahara include increased patrols, security cameras, and signs with positive messages spread throughout the forest.

▲Depression is thought to be the main cause for suicide. This is often linked to unemployment and financial problems.

▲Suicide victims are mostly men in their 50's, although the number of men in their 30's and 40's committing suicide has increased.

▲

March marks the end of Japan’s fiscal year, so it's no coincidence that suicides in Aokigahara peak in the spring.

Most people who commit suicide in the forest choose to hang themselves on trees. Death by drug overdose caused by sleeping pills is the second most common suicide method.

▲The ancient Japanese practice 'ubasute' was the act of abandoning the elderly in a remote location to die. This was done so that the younger family members could survive.

▲Despite being dismissed by some as folklore, the Aokigahara forest was allegedly used for this practice, also known as 'granny dumping.'

▲Yūrei are the Japanese version of the Western world ghosts. Many believe the forest to be haunted by these spirits and that they wander through Aokigahara tormenting visitors.

▲

Police and volunteers patrol the area every year searching for bodies. These searches have been held since 1970.

In the early 2000's, 70-100 corpses were recovered from the forest every year.

▲In an attempt to discourage suicide, the Japanese government has stopped releasing the number of bodies found.

▲Although camping is allowed in the forest, suicide prevention patrols are suspicious of people traveling alone carrying tents, as these people are more likely to be contemplating suicide. They usually try to talk to them.

▲

Aokigahara forest is so dense that visitors use tape to mark their path. Getting lost in this forest can be fatal.

Aokigahara's soil is rich in magnetic iron, which greatly affects communications. Cellphones, GPS, and even compasses might not work at all in the forest.

▲

This is why tape is such an important tool to not get lost. Calling for help would be useless.

Should you visit this forest, make sure you follow the marked public paths. You might find some disturbing things if you wander deep into the woods.

▲Despite many theories, it still remains a mystery why so many people choose to commit suicide in this forest.

▲

But not everyone who visits Aokigahara is contemplating suicide. Many people visit the forest to enjoy the breathtaking views of Mount Fuji.