Taking a trip through the Aokigahara forest can be a fascinating experience. We can: enjoy a well-preserved natural landscape, imagine the experiences of those who enter the forest to abandon their lives,…
How do we get to Aokigahara?
The Aokigahara forest is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. This park is one of the most visited in Japan.
We are in Tokyo, we go to the bus terminal of Shinjuku, where we take the bus that will take us to Kawaguchiko station, after about 2 hours of travel.
Leaving the station of Kawaguchiko, we went to the bus stop, stop number 1. We took the bus that makes the circular route “Lake Saiko and Aokigahara Shuyu”.
After a journey of about 35 minutes, we arrive at the Bats Cave. This is the starting point to visit the Suicide Forest.
Excursion to Aokigahara
In the Bats Cave Information Center, if we want, we can hire a guided tour. The paths for the trip last 90 minutes.
We left the car park of the Bats Cave, where we found a situation map.
Right at the beginning, at the first crossing, we go to the Yachonomori Park (Wild Bird Park) by the path on the left.
Attention: Under no circumstances leave the marked path to enter the forest.
In this section of the walk, we will enjoy plants of all kinds, especially the monotropastrum humile, white saprophyte plant that is shown from the end of May to the beginning of July.
Recommendation: For a good conservation of the forest, the plants and trees must be respected, including the roots that cross the marked paths. Considering that the roots can not penetrate the lava soil, the balance of the forest is precarious to any change.
Throughout the tour, we can enjoy exotic plant species. At the same time, we will find a grotto. The forms acquired by the trees can be whimsical, like that of the Japanese cypress in the shape of an eight-tailed snake (mythological animal)
At about 900 meters from the start, we come to a crossroads where we can take the road to: or Lake Saiko, or the Wild Bird Park, or the Wind Cave or the Ryugu Cave.
If we take the road to Lake Saiko, we can enjoy trees with odd shapes that together with the shapes acquired by the lava, can remind us of scenes from animated fantasy movies. This is one of the attractions of Aokigahara.
Following the road, we will arrive at the Nenbahama entrance next to the road. Crossing the road, we will arrive at the mural with the map of the forest situation, from there we can go to Lake Saiko from where we can contemplate the view of Mount Fuji.
From Lake Saiko, we go to the parking area of Nenbahama, where we will find a rest area and the bus stop back to the Kawaguchiko station that, in 25 minutes, will allow us to take the bus back.
In any case, if we do not feel safe to travel through our account in Japan, we can count on organized trips in Tokyo or even in the information center of the Kawaguchiko station.