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ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9137-1580
Date of Graduation
8-2025
Semester of Graduation
Summer
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
School of Communication Studies
First Advisor
Lindsey Harvell-Bowman
Abstract
This thesis explores the intercultural perceptions of suicidality and the role that these perceptions have on meaning of life in Japanese culture through an exploratory, autoethnographic analysis of my journey walking through Japan’s Aokigahara “suicide” Forest. In June 2024, I traveled to Fujikawaguchiko, Japan to conduct an autoethnographic analysis of my experiences walking through Aokigahara Forest using shinrin-yoku and mindful walking (Jung, 2014) as supplemental research methodologies to make empirical observations and take notes on my journey walking through suicide forest as an embodied sensory experience. Drawing upon the research and ideas of cultural anthropologist and existential philosopher Ernest Becker, this study sheds light on the existential significance Aokigahara Forest has on life, culture, and society in Japan, taking a specific look at the role that existential isolation has on suicidality in Japanese culture. This research provides future implications for studying the cultural and intercultural perceptions of suicide across different cultural landscapes as a way to bring meaning and authenticity to life, create an outlet for people to engage in meaningful conversations about mental health, and reduce the stigma that is associated with seeking help for mental health issues and suicidal ideation, thus building the foundation for future research investigating the cultural implications of suicidality through an existential lens.
Key words: Suicide, Mental Health, Culture, Aokigahara Forest, Existential Isolation, Japan
