It's a different episode of Lore & Legends today - one that factually explores Aokigahara Forest, Japan’s “Suicide Forest,” tracing its evolution from a natural wonder at the base of Mount Fuji to a global symbol of tragedy. Spanning its geological origins from the 864 CE eruption, 19th-century emergence as a suicide site, and peak suicide rates in the early 2000s, this episode examines economic crises, cultural attitudes, and media influences like Seichō Matsumoto’s Kuroi Jukai that amplified its notoriety. Learn about Japan’s suicide prevention efforts, including national policies and Aokigahara-specific measures like drone patrols, alongside the forest’s role as a tourist destination attracting both nature enthusiasts and “dark tourists.”

Macabrium is produced by Macabrium Creative and hosted by Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown, with writing and research by Chloë Kibbe, Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown. 

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Episode Reference Material

Aokigahara Forest - Wikipedia

CNN: Suicide in Japan's Aokigahara Forest (2009)

Aokigahara: Suicide Forest - IMDb

Aokigahara: Suicide Forest - WatchDocumentaries

Suicide Prevention in Japan - WHO

Aokigahara Forest - National Geographic

Inside Japan’s ‘Suicide Forest’ - CNN (2018)

Japan's Suicide Forest: 33 Creepy Facts - Best Life

National Suicide Prevention Policy in Japan - Injury Prevention

The General Principles of Suicide Prevention Policy - PubMed

The Creepy Confines of Aokigahara - All That’s Interesting

Real Stories From the Japanese Suicide Forest - Bustle

Sea of Trees: Poetic Gateways to Aokigahara - Tokyo Poetry Journal

Aokigahara Forest - Japan National Tourism Organization

Suicide Data and Trends in Japan - Tokyo Mental Health

Excess Suicides in Japan Post-Pandemic - ScienceDirect

Drones Deployed to Aokigahara for Patrol - The Asahi Shimbun

From Tragedy to Tourism - Life360

Aokigahara: A Dark Tourism Spot - Travel Tomorrow

Macabre Tourism in Japan - ResearchGate

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