The Aokigahara forest in Japan

Rannoch · 7 Aug 2018 at 19:58

Heading to Tokyo next summer with my brother who lives in Bangkok at present.

Anyone been to the Aokigahara forest? Want to see Mount Fuji so it’s on the to-do list.

Been watching YouTube and other videos but they are all about the suicides and idiots scaring themselves at night. My brother wants to camp overnight but I’m not so sure. I think it’s forbidden but plenty of people have done it, stumbling upon a body or getting lost doesn’t float my boat.

Rannoch · 7 Aug 2018 at 20:03

Raymond Lin said:
Just stay in a Ryokan, much nicer, more traditional than camping….

p.s. good luck in the summer, it's been hitting 40c this past couple of weeks.

That’s a very good point, will have to wait for a cooler month.

Rannoch · 7 Aug 2018 at 20:05

Cheers for the Ryokan tips guys, will certainly check it out. It’s my brother who’s up for camping overnight, due to the reputation of the forest.

Rannoch · 7 Aug 2018 at 20:09

SpartaK said:
What he said.

Kozantei Ubuya ryokan opposite Mt Fuji get's my vote, great views of Mt Fuji from there and great service all round!

View from the room:

Cracking view.

Rannoch · 7 Aug 2018 at 20:13

Raymond Lin said:
Best months are

March and April, September to November. Although September can be risky as it is typhoon season.

Temp in April look good.

Rannoch · 7 Aug 2018 at 20:15

jsmoke said:
What's so special about the forest?

Unfortunately its the second most popular place in the world to commit suicide.

Rannoch · 7 Aug 2018 at 20:17

Raymond Lin said:
It's not Blair Witch you know, respect the dead, don't be a Logan.

Yeah, what he did was heartless.

Rannoch · 7 Aug 2018 at 20:18

Raymond Lin said:
Mt Fuji is massive, you can see it from Tokyo.

Cracking photo.

Rannoch · 7 Aug 2018 at 20:21

G-MAN2004 said:
Just don't record the bodies and put the video on YouTube.

If I do upload anything, it will just be the beauty of the forest during the day and night.

Rannoch · 7 Aug 2018 at 20:26

Raymond Lin said:
Tbh, just don't go there.

It’ll be my only visit to Japan and its on my brothers list. I’m up for a visit and staying somewhere close overnight but the camping isn’t my thing.

I do lots of mountain camping in the summer and winter in Scotland but this was his idea.

Rannoch · 7 Aug 2018 at 20:33

Thekwango said:
is he right enough in the head....I've got visions of something out of The Grudge crawling into the tent with you during the night!!

I also have that in my head, I haven’t watched this fil for obvious reasons - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Forest_(2016_film)

Rannoch · 7 Aug 2018 at 20:47

Raymond Lin said:
I've only been to Japan once, I can think of 100 other things to see and do before going there.

You can climb Mt Fuji and stay up there if you are up for that !

Wouldn’t mind but I’m limited on the gear I can’t take and I’m not the driver

Rannoch · 7 Aug 2018 at 20:54

Raymond Lin said:
It's not a climb but a really long hike. There are plenty of videos vlogs on YouTube for that, you normally sleep up there overnight to get up to see the sunrise.

That’s something I could do but my brother wouldn’t make it.

Rannoch · 7 Aug 2018 at 20:54

cheesyboy said:
What's number one?

Golden Gate Bridge apparently.

Rannoch · 7 Aug 2018 at 21:30

Calm it guys

Rannoch · 7 Aug 2018 at 21:35

SpartaK said:
If Karl Pilkington can, anyone can

Will have to watch that I missed it

Rannoch · 8 Aug 2018 at 15:09

SpartaK said:
@Vargas If you do end up camping and hear people walking into the forest to end it, would you try to stop them?

Yes, we would try. The language barrier may be a problem but there’s always a way around that.

Rannoch · 8 Aug 2018 at 16:11

Raymond Lin said:
No, being respectful to a place is quite simple, you just struggle to get your head around it evidently.

Respect has nothing to do with snobbery or obnoxious.

And it’s not just a forest, it’s a forest where people go to suicide, that’s the reason OP wants to go and that’s what the place is famous for, he isn’t going there because it’s a forest, he’s going there if it’s reputation of the suicides not to pay respects to the dead but to get a kick out of it.

That’s disrespectful.

How hard is that to understand.

My reason for going there is my brother will be the driver and wants to visit. If he’s hell bent on staying overnight then I would have course support that. If that how it goes I may camp or even find a place nearby to stay. Don’t fancy a night in the car so it’s one or the other.

Rannoch · 9 Aug 2018 at 09:34

angel102 said:
your brother sounds pretty ghoulish if that is the reason he wants to visit it hoping to find a suicide victim.

How did you come to that conclusion? That’s not the reason for a visit.

Rannoch · 9 Aug 2018 at 09:48

Where does it say he wants to find a suicide victim. that’s your own creepy interpretation.