Aokigahara, Japan's Suicide Forest

Also known as the Jukai or “Sea of Trees,” Aokigahara has been described as “the perfect place to die.”

"At the foot of Mt. Fuji sprawls a 30-kilometer square forest called Aokigahara. Aokigahara is considered the most haunted place in all of Japan, where the unsettled ghosts known as “yurei” howl their suffering on the winds. The noises heard here might be considered natural in any other forest, but knowing the reputation of this place, people tend to freak out at the sound of squeaky branch. Of course, the scary stories about the trees themselves being filled with evil energy accumulated from centuries of suicides don’t help much either. Spiritualists go as far as to say the trees don’t want you to go back out of the forest." (cr: source)

Read more at http://www.odditycentral.com/pics/aokigahara-forest-the-suicide-woods-of-mount-fuji.html#o5s2xC5pBwH6lqey.99 

"In the forest, one is also completely shrouded in darkness – save for the sporadic stream of sunlight from gaps in the treetops – and experiences an overwhelming silence, pressing in from all sides. As such, it’s a perfect place for solitude and reflection and correspondingly, is the perfect place to die. At least according to the 100 people who commit suicide here every year." (cr: source)

Currently, Aokigahara is considered the second most popular suicide location in the world, losing out only to the Golden Gate Bridge. Authorities have placed signs emblazoned with warnings, “Please reconsider” and “Think carefully about your children, your family”, at the entrance of the forest. (cr: source)

"Don't look for me."

A suicide note hung on one of the forest's trees.

I don't want to stay here.

Whenever people persuade me to love my country and be patriotic and all that shit, I really feel like punching them in the face. Patriotism is a good thing to have but convincing me to be proud of my country is like shoving food down my throat when I've already had more than enough. Sickening, pathetic, and useless.

Yes, I can get out of the house and feel like nothing is wrong with the world, but then I start seeing photos like these...

...and it just fills me in with so much wanderlust coursing through my veins and the thought of packing my bags and fleeing to Japan or South Korea is so strong that I have to think about my family, friends, and everything else essential in my life at the moment just to regain composure. Because whenever I see these photos, I see myself in them. I see myself strolling through these streets, finding a job in these buildings, and having a home in these places. I see my heart, soul, and mind loving these places with a burning passion to endearing bits and pieces. I see myself belonging in the midst of unfamiliar faces and indecipherable signs and labels.  

And I just really want to be there so fucking much.

But what's really frustrating is that I have no choice but to deal with what I have at the moment. Two more years of dread in high school until I graduate, and hopefully, be able to grab a course dealing with Asian Studies (majoring in East Asian) and also take up Foreign Languages in college, and then pass with flying colors so that I'd land myself a job in one of those lovely countries.

Please, dear Lord, let everything happen. It doesn't matter how slow it will take, just as long as I'll be able to see, find, and feel myself with the lights and sounds and the whole essence of South Korea and Japan.

Sigh.

“I’ve been homesick for countries I’ve never been, and longed to be where I couldn’t be.”

—	John Cheever

Wanderlust so fucking much tonight. Photos of Japan and South Korea are flooding my dashboard over at Tumblr and I just really want to pack my bags and fly to those two countries. Either, both, anything is fine with me.

Some to go places in Japan:
Tokyo - city lights and the exciting atmosphere. And not to mention all the gorgeous clothes.
Shinsekai - the old city of Japan; it's a place that looks like it's from another era, like time brought a standstill on it and it's stuck on a different timeline
Osaka - Sakura-no-miya-koen (cherry blossom viewing) ♥
Kyoto - where there are many umbrella :3

Some places to go in South Korea:
Seoul - duh
Busan - the capital of Korean indie music
Hongdae - who doesn't want to go to Hongdae? And I want to see the mural street.
Jeju Island -* ~paradise~*
Seoroksan National Park - where it's autumn every day
The DMZ - because it's going to be a fucking surreal and intense experience.