Hikes in Japan: The Aokigahara Forest Loop Trail

BASIC INFORMATION

• Name: The Aokigahara Forest Loop Trail
• Location: Kawaguchiko, Japan
• Distance: 2.6 miles (4.2 km)
• Max Elevation: 3,377 feet (1,029 m)
• Elevation Gain: 166 feet (51 m)
• Time: 1-2 hours
• Difficulty: Easy
• More Information: 30 Day Hikes Near Tokyo

Google Earth Map of the Trail

Directions

The trailhead for this hike is located at the Narusawa Ice Cave located just off of Highway 139 west of Kawaguchiko for those driving.  For those using mass transit, from Kawaguchiko there are various buses that run to the cave.  Click the following link for more information.

Parking

At the Narusawa Ice Cave there is a huge parking lot that extends down the main road leading to its entrance.  My son and I visited on a summer weekend and had no problems finding parking:

Narrative

The Aokigahara Forest is one of the most well known forests in Japan and not for a good reason.  The forest is popularly known as the “Suicide Forest” due to the high number of suicides that have occurred there.  Near the start of this hike at the Narusawa Ice Cave, there is actually a sign that tries to dissuade people from committing suicide by claiming a black dragon lives in the Ice Cave and punishes those who try to commit suicide by dragging them to the bottom of the sea:

However, my nine-year old son and I did not come to check out this forest for any macabre reason, but instead to hike through it and explore a couple of its most well known caves.  Our hike began at the parking lot for the Narusawa Ice Cave.  My son and I visited the Ice Cave first before departing on our hike, but it can be completed at the end of the hike as well.  You can read about our visit to Ice Cave at this link.  After finishing our tour of the Ice Cave we walked from the parking lot to Highway 139 and took a left following a sidewalk that ran adjacent to the road:

Here is what the road looked like from above using my DJI Mavic 2 Zoom – Drone:

As the drone photo shows the Aokigahara Forest is vast and very thick.  As we walked down the sidewalk my son and I passed this sign that explained a phenomenon in the forest called “parasitic trees”:

Here is a picture of the 300+ year old oak tree:

After about a half mile of following the sidewalk, we reached the entrance to the Fugaku Fuketsu Wind Cave:

From the entrance we followed a short trail into the Aokigahara Forest to the ticket booth:

My son and I next went and visited the Wind Cave.  You can read more about the Wind Cave at this link.  The coldness of the cave was a nice respite from the summer heat in the forest.  After finishing our tour of the cave we then when back to the ticket booth and spotted the sign that pointed towards the trail that led back to the Ice Cave:

The trail leading to the Wind Cave was very busy with tourists, but as soon as we started hiking on the trail through the Aokigahara Forest back to the Ice Cave, nobody else was on the trail:

Along the trail we reached an intersection where it was possible to take a longer hike to Lake Shojiko.  We continued on our trail back to the Ice Cave:

As we continued down the trail we still did not run into any other hikers and the forest was amazingly quiet:

Along this section of the hike we found a secluded bench to take a break at and enjoy the scenery of the surrounding forest for a short while:

Near the bench we spotted a depression in the lava rock floor of the trail that eroded to look like a footprint:

As we approached the end of the loop hike we saw a sign pointing towards Kouyoudai which is in the direction of where the Ice Cave is located at:

We soon exited the forest behind the visitor center for the Ice Cave:

At this end of the trail we spotted the below trail map marker.  For anyone looking to hike to the Wind Cave in the opposite direction of the way we hiked this loop trail just look for this marker near the Ice Cave:

Conclusion

Overall I recommend people to complete this short hike in conjunction with visiting the Ice and Wind Caves.  The Aokigahara Forest Loop Trail is an easy family friendly hike through a beautiful forest that includes the added adventures of exploring the two caves.  My nine-year old son really enjoyed this hike and I suspect others with young children will enjoy it as well.