Usual hours and prices, checked 2026-10-06 against the sources under “What this place is”. They can change for holidays and events — confirm before you go. Official site
Our guide
Aokigahara, also called the Sea of Trees (Jukai), is a forest on the north-western flank of Mount Fuji, growing on 30 km² of hardened lava laid down by the mountain's last major eruption in 864. Its western edge, with several caves that fill with ice in winter, is a popular destination for visitors and school trips. Parts of the forest are very dense, and the porous lava rock absorbs sound, which adds to the sense of solitude some visitors describe. In folklore the forest has long had a reputation as a home of yūrei, the ghosts of the dead.
Lake Shōji is about 2.5 km away in a straight line and Lake Motosu about 3.2 km. We have not checked trails, cave opening times or a public-transport route, so look for local information before you go.
Written by japan-spots.com (2026-09-22) from the sources credited on this page. Distances are straight lines between map positions.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, each under its own licence — see credits
- Mount Ashiwada and Mount Fuji — Alpsdake · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- Aokigahara forest 03 — ajari from Japan · CC BY 2.0 · source · resized
- Aokigahara forest 02 — Kazuhiko Maeda from Tokyo, Japan · CC BY 2.0 · source · resized
- Aokigahara forest 01 — ajari from Japan · CC BY 2.0 · source · resized
- Aokigahara and Misaka Mountains — Alpsdake · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- Aokigahara forest 04 — mtzn · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source · resized
- Lake Motosu from Mount Ashiwada — Alpsdake · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- Tenshi Mountains from Mount Ashiwada (with note) — Alpsdake · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- Aokigahara 2013-11-13 (10863208834) — Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France · CC BY 2.0 · source · resized
What this place is
Aokigahara (青木ヶ原, 'Aucuba Tree Meadow'), also known as the Sea of Trees (樹海, Jukai), is a forest on the northwestern flank of Mount Fuji on the island of Honshu in Japan, thriving on 30 square kilometres (12 sq mi) of hardened lava laid down by the last major eruption of Mount Fuji in 864 CE.The western edge of Aokigahara, where there are several caves that fill with ice in winter, is a popular destination for tourists and school trips. Parts of Aokigahara are very dense, and the porous lava rock absorbs sound, contributing to a sense of solitude that some visitors attribute to the forest. The forest has a historical reputation as a home to yūrei: ghosts of the dead in Japanese mythology.
Visitor information checked: 2026-10-06 · Official visitor information
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
What to expect at this type of place: Landmark
Getting there
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