dark tourist japan episode

Dark Tourist season 1, episode 2 recap: ‘Japan’

By wade wainio | aug 8, 2018.

In episode 2 of Netflix  series Dark Tourist, David Farrier visits Japan for nuclear tourism, and also Jukai Forest, the world’s most famous suicide spot.

The second episode of  Dark Tourist  certainly brings viewers on a journey to some of the most infamous but dark locations in Japan.

Fukishima Nuclear Tourism

In 2011, a massive earthquake and tsunami created a nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. It’s estimated that the tsunami took 20,000 lives (though some estimates are more conservative, at 15,000).

Still, it’s not 2011 anymore, and people are trying to move on with their lives . In fact, journalist and “dark tourist” David Farrier is participating in some nuclear tourism. He’s not alone, either, as he’s on a bus with a surprising amount of people, traveling through what may very well be contaminated areas. To assure the group’s confidence, their tour guide — a nice enough man named Yo — seems not at all concerned about nuclear energy levels. He jokes that he’s not growing extra horns or extra fingers.

Nevertheless, the tour rather quickly takes a dark and ominous tone. They visit a town that’s completely abandoned, and it looks like something out of an apocalyptic film. Armed with their Geiger counters, the tour is alarmed that the radiation is higher than it should be. A tourist named Anya notes that her Geiger meter’s at 0.75. She says that’s higher than Pripyat, around the infamous Chernobyl disaster, where no one’s allowed to go. Farrier notes, “Suddenly, nuclear tourism doesn’t seem like such a great idea.”

Related Story. Dark Tourist season 1 premiere recap. light

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Yo warns the people about breathing in radioactive dust, and Farrier finds humor in them officially calling troubled areas, “difficult to return to zones.” At one point, their tour gets in trouble, and Farrier almost gets on Yo’s bad side after branching off and sneaking a peek at a “forbidden zone.” He says, “This tour is more stressful than I thought it would be.” It’s not all bad, though. The group stops at a restaurant called Grandma’s, which is intended to lure tourists back to the area. Farrier tell us, “The food may be radioactive but it’s delicious.” When you have an endorsement from Dark Tourist,  you’re probably doing something right…or not.

Geiger Fears

When Yo says a tsunami stripped the whole town, it’s not just talk. We get the visuals loud and clear, which makes Dark Tourist  a worthwhile journalistic enterprise in its own right. Regarding some laughter from those in the group, Farrier explains: “You laugh to cover up your nerves sometimes.” Then, while we get to see where a bunch of radioactive soil’s been stored, David notes how “Town after town is wrecked, radioactive, abandoned.” Accordingly, Geiger counters start going off like crazy. Yo had said anything over a 0.2 is unsafe. However, their levels keep rising well beyond that. First, it goes up to 2.8, then another reading is 7.19. Then one is at 9.71 — 50 times the safe threshold. The group votes on ending the tour, and one hopes they heard the old adage: “You get what you paid for.”

A Robot Hotel and a Suicide Forest

Because Japan can be a quirky place, we see that David’s hotel is automated — that is, run by robots. This includes a velociraptor front desk clerk with a voice very similar to comedian Dane Cook.  As a special feature, David’s robot sings the classic”Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” lullaby for him at night, and he directs it to shut up.

Presumably the next morning, David Farrier makes it to Jukai Forest, which is famous as a suicide forest. Over 100 bodies are found there a year, and there have been horror movies made about the place. As David tours it, it becomes no mystery why. It’s definitely haunting if nothing else. When asked about the suicides, David’s familiar tour guide, Yo, blames them on obligation and honor.

Its reputation as a suicide hotspot has been officially acknowledged, too. A sign outside the forest urges people to think about their parents and their children, and otherwise discourages suicide. Some people think suicides are actually inspired by spirits in the forest. In fact, Farrier is surprised — maybe even impressed — that Yo seems more worried about forest spirits (often called yūrei) than any nuclear radiation around Fukushima. So, obviously, there’s power to the beliefs.

The signs of suicide are in the forest, too. Jake, a restaurant owner, talks about a skeleton he found, and Farrier and Yo find remains of a makeshift noose (and for those who assume Farrier faked it or something, know that actual bodies really are found in the forest quite regularly).

As a twist, one woman named Noriko claims she saw a ghost who warned her not to take her life. In other words, not all spirits in the forest lure people to death. Still, David, Noriko and Yo drink salt to ward off spirits. Is that enough? Possibly not, because yūrei are supposedly attacking Noriko on this very tour. In any case, David reminds us that there’s nothing romantic about suicide and that the forest is indeed strange and eerie.

Next. Dark Tourist season 1, episode 3 recap. dark

One Last Stop: Hashima Island (AKA Battleship Island)

Hashima Island is Farriers last stop on Dark Tourist,  but it doesn’t seem like a mere afterthought. It’s an impressive place in its own right. In fact, as David reminds us: “60 years ago it was the most densely populated place on earth.” Now it’s abandoned. At one point there was a coal mine beneath the island. However, it became un-economic and people left in droves.

On the surface, it seems there’s not much to be said of an empty place. Still, it has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it does have tourists. While this episode only looks at a fraction of Japan, one can easily sense that it’s a fascinating place. Still, you might want to avoid touring a nuclear disaster zone. Seriously.

That’s it for this Dark Tourist  recap. Let us know what you think in the comments!

• Food & Drink

The Japan Media

Dark Tourist Episode in Japan

The Netflix Original Dark Tourist follows New Zealand journalist, David Farrier, as he travels the world seeking tourist attractions that draw in people due to their danger or darkness. The show is very informative, but it also includes the personal opinions and experiences of David and his crew. There is currently one season of the show, and the second episode of this season focuses on dark tourism in Japan. David takes us to various places such as a radioactive town, a hotel run by robots, the suicide forest, and an abandon island city.

Nuclear Tourism in Fukushima

First, David takes us to Fukushima, the site of a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011 that caused the Daiichi nuclear station to explode and leak radiation. This explosion and radiation leak resulted in the death of over 20,000 people and the evacuation of the entire area. David takes us on a tour bus where he and other foreign tourists grow more anxious about the radiation levels throughout the day, constantly checking their pinging indicators. Even the areas that were not destroyed by the tsunami were touched by the earthquake and dangerous radiation, resulting in a desolate urban area that David experiences as quite chilling. The Japanese government appears to be trying to encourage people to move back into safe spots in the area, doing so by hiring entertainers and opening restaurants. However, the radiation continues to be a concern, but also allows tourists to feel thrilled by the danger of it. The Japanese government was not very happy with this part of the episode, as they felt that the conversation of food grown in the radioactive area was offensive.

Henn Na Hotel: Robot Hotel

David then stays the night in a towel run entirely by robots, the Henn Na Hotel in Sasebo. Upon arrival he is greeted by robot receptionists. His room is accompanied with his own personal robot, which doesn’t seem to follow commands very well. This robot can speak to him and serve as an alarm in the morning. The hotel is located in the middle of a replica of a 17th century Dutch town, which to David feels a bit odd but is beautiful.

Jukai Forest: Suicide Forest

Located in the northwestern slopes of Mount Fuji, the Jukai Forest is called the “suicide forest” due to the amount of bodies found there per year often adding up to over 100. Davide takes us to this magnificent yet eerie forest, and shows us the seemingly endless sea of trees. Jukai Forest became romanticized as a spot to commit suicide after popularity of the 1960s novel The Black Sea of Trees which has a plot similar to Romeo and Juliet. David and his group luckily do not stumble across a body, but do spot a make-shift noose hanging from the branch of a tree. David and his guides Jake, Yo, and Noriko all speak of feeling and believing in spiritual presences in the forest, and warn David to be very aware. Overall, David’s experience in this vast and enchanting forest is unnerving and intriguing.

Hashima Island

Lastly, David takes us off the coast of Nagasaki to the former coal mining city of Hashima Island. While now completely abandoned, 60 years prior it was considered the most densely populated place on earth with over 5.5 thousand people living on the small island. David meets up with some former residents of the island, who recount their lives living in Hashima. The standard of living on the island was crowded but good, as there were schools, job opportunities, and Shinto shrines. The coal mine lay underneath the island, and the former residents blame Hashima’s abandonment on the closing of the mines in the 1970s, in which all the residents fled the city within a week. David wanders the ghost city and thinks of the lives that must have once filled the space. David ends his time in Japan having successfully visited a variety of dark spots of the country.

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• Jul 20, 2018

Summary David Farrier travels to some of the most dangerous and or morbid tourist spots such as former nuclear spots in Kazakhstan & Japan, tours about JFK's assassination & Pablo Escobar, a voodoo festival, and a haunted house.

• Documentary

Directed By : Colin Rothbart

Written By : Paul Horan

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David Farrier

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• The Rise of Dark Tourism In Japan – Top 12 Scariest Destinations

If you watch the recently released Netflix series “Dark Tourist”, you will find a radioactive tour in Fukushima, Japan in episode two, one of the most terrifying experiences on earth. But aside from Fukushima, Japan has much more to offer curious and adventurous dark tourists. In fact, promoting dark tourism is a tragedy from Japan’s Reconstruction Agency to help the post-disaster towns recover or develop the economy in remote local places. So, Japan is definitely a friendly country for international dark tourists. Let’s find out more about dark tourism in Japan and the top 12 scariest must-visit destinations in this article.

What is Dark Tourism?

In the book “Dark Tourism” by Foley and Lennon in 1996, this term refers to the act of traveling to places of post-disaster, death, war atrocity, or any type of tragedy.

Dark tourism refers to the act of traveling to places of post-disaster, death, war atrocity, or any type of tragedy. (Source: Internet)

• Planning A Trip To Japan Like A Travel Master 
• 10 Japanese Cultural Facts Travellers Should Know 

Indeed, this type of tourism has caused endless controversy from its very first day of existence. Many people criticizing dark tourism state that it is not appropriate to make money from the past trauma. However, when looking on the bright side, we can see dark tourism can serve as a historical class. It reminds humanity of our past mistakes so that we can avoid or at least be prepared if similar disasters happen again. Sometimes, for instance, tragedy in Hiroshima teaches us about the value of peace, resilience, and love shared among people. Besides, it is about time the site itself along with its residents heal from all the trauma and that site may find a chance to be back on the map someday.

The rise of Dark Tourism in Japan

Throughout its rich history, Japan has had its ups and downs many times. It used to suffer from natural disasters such as tsunami or earthquakes to the darkest time associated with World War II including the atomic bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These events in the past leave us not only important lessons but also dark tourism sites. Furthermore, Japan has its unique culture of many mythologies or dark folklore which provide some spooky forests, tunnels, or other creepy places.

David Farrier traveled to Japan in Netflix series “Dark Tourist”. (Source: Internet)

In the past 20 years, tourism in Japan explodes and the country becomes worldwide famous for its bizarre experience such as anime, robots, festivals. But only in the past few years, due to the digital revolution, as people share their experience on social media, the mass is aware of the dark tourism in Japan. More and more choose to follow this phenomenon rather than other mainstream forms of tourism.

TOP 12 Dark Tourism Destinations in Japan

If you are visiting Japan and also get bored with ordinary activity, you may want to get into the game of dark tourism and discover the 12 most creepy destinations in Japan listed below.

1. Fukushima Exclusion Zone

When it comes to dark tourism in Japan, the first come to anybody mind is a place which has been through it all: earthquakes, tsunami and as a result, nuclear disaster. In fact, earthquakes are not something strange in the country since Japan lies on the crossing zones of many continental and oceanic plates. This is also the reason why Japan has so many active volcanoes and hot springs. Moreover, tsunami or tidal waves are usually caused if earthquakes arise below or near the sea.

At 14:46 on 11 March 2011, the magnitude 9.0–9.1 (Mw) undersea earthquake along with the tsunami struck the north-east coast of Honshu (main island) and is recorded as the worst earthquake in Japan history since the record started in 1900. But none could ever imagine the double natural disaster earthquakes and tsunami is capable of leading to a much worse catastrophe. Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is the first nuclear accident at level 7 ever since Chernobyl. There were approximately 20,000 deaths and massive structural damage.

Fukushima Exclusion Zone Now

Most of Fukushima is restricted to only journalists and photographers.

Due to the problematic radioactive iodine in the air, soil, and water, residents were evacuated and the area around the power plant has later been forbidden exclusion zone. Only permitted journalists and photographers could enter the ghost towns. As a daring dark tourist, you can still visit one reopened town called Odaka. Odaka is quite close to the station so it is possible to join a 1-day tour from Tokyo to Odaka. Is it dangerous? Not as the Netflix series “Dark Tourist” depicts, it even narrates some wrong information and exaggerates the situation. Keep in mind that Odaka is reopened after successful clean-up efforts. So, come to Fukushima yourself to really know what was and is happening in this place without worrying about any damage to your longevity.

• Location: Odaka, Fukushima, around160 miles (250 km) to the north of Tokyo.
• Access: nearly impossible to travel independently, so pre-arranged tours are recommended
• Costs: ¥ 5000/person for a standard guided tour, higher prices for smaller groups, and custom tours. near impossible independently, but made possible through pre-arranged guided tours; not cheap.

See more about this area in the video below:

2. Hiroshima

The atomic bomb dropped in Hiroshiman during World War II

Hiroshima and Nagasaki are both victims of the atomic bomb during World War II. However, concerning the atomic bomb, people usually think of the devastating war atrocity in Hiroshima on the 6th of August partly because Hiroshima suffered from much more damages related to loss of lives (almost 140,000 people).

Many consider Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome the Eiffel Tower of dark tourism.

There are various sites in Hiroshima that show you the impact of the bomb on this city, but a typical choice for dark tourists is the Peace Memorial or the Atomic Bomb Dome. In fact, it is just the remnant of a Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall next to hypocenter but fortunately, preserves most of its structure. Many consider Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome the Eiffel Tower of dark tourism, so it is definitely a must-visit during your trip to Hiroshima. Another well-known landmark is the Memorial Cathedral for World Peace which is a church constructed to celebrate and spread hope for peace. If you are a new dark tourist, these destinations are a good start since they are not dark or scary, but more like an iconic historical attraction that survived the tragic war along with the first atomic bomb to be dropped.

• Location: in Central Hiroshima, in the north of the Peace Memorial Park
• Access : easy to find
• Costs: free

3. Aokigahara Suicide Forest

There is still actual suicide committed in Aokigahara along with expanding numbers of visitors.

Just like its name, Aokigahara, which means Sea of Trees in Japanese, is known as a place many people have committed suicides. This makes Aokigahara full of dark aura and maybe some remains or dead bodies. The terrifying matter is that there is still actual suicide committed here along with expanding numbers of visitors. Unless you have a strong stomach and a good sense of direction, you should not risk going into this paranormal forest. Even some daring and experienced dark tourist may refuse to come here since witnessing real deaths may be too unethical.

• Location:  Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi Prefecture, in the northern foothills of Mt. Fuji
• Access: independent travel or private tour
• Cost: expensive private tour of ¥000/ person

4. Hashima Island – Ghost Town

Hashima or Battleship Island is among the most astounding ghost towns in the world.

This little island is among the most astounding ghost towns in the world. Hashima was home to miners and their families until its underwater coal mine closed in 1974. Ever since, once crowded place like Hashima with all hospitals, schools, houses have been deserted. Only after 40 years, in 2009, visitors can join the boat excursions to Hashima and go sightseeing in this abandoned city.

What makes Hashima attractive to the dark tourists is not the fact that it is out of service but its darkness. During World War II, Harshima was the prison for thousands of Korean and Chinese unwilling laborers who were forced to work and treated inhumanely. Due to this part of Hashima history, it has another  Japanese name “Gunkanjima”, which means ‘battleship island.

• Location: 12 miles (19 km) to the south-west of Nagasaki
• Access: restricted tour
• Cost: expensive

Mountain Aso is among the most active volcanoes in Japan.

Mountain Aso is among the most active volcanoes in Japan and one of the most sizable calderas on earth. So it offers basically quite a magnificent view. Besides, tourists coming to Aso can stay at nearby campsites, go horse-riding and enjoy the view of the crater rim from above in the helicopter. You can only access all these activities as long as the weather, the level of poisonous gar, and the volcanic activity are right.

• Location: 25 miles to the east of Kumamoto, Kyushu
• Access: possible independent travel. There are a car park, shuttles, and walking trails near the mountain. Otherwise, you can take part in a bus tour from Kumamoto or a round-trip packages of Kyushu.
• Costs: A visit to the crater is free but you have to pay ¥ 840 to enter The Volcano Museum (opening from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., every day. Taking a ropeway or car from the base to crater costs another ¥600 one way, ¥1000 return ticket.

6. Okunoin Cemetery

Situated deep in the forest of Mount Koyasan, Okunoin Cemetery is a perfect destination for someone who likes the eerie silence and religious beauty. In fact, this place is highly sacred as it was where Shingon Buddhism in Japan originated, dating back to more than 1,200 years ago. The cemetery has over 200,000 gravestones along with memorials, including those of Buddhist monks, especially Kobo Dashi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism. Some of the monuments covered with red clothes mean they belong to passed-away children. The parents placing their babies’ tombstones there with the hope to protect them on the way to the afterlife.

The cemetery has over 200,000 gravestones along with memorials.

For tourists, walking through Okunoin Cemetary during the daytime and visiting The Hall of Lamps at night are impressive and intimate experiences. You can stay close by in a traditional Buddhist Temple such as Yochi-in or Kumagaiji, try some vegetarian dishes and join the prayer service at dawn.

• Location: Koyasan
• Access: mainly independent travel. There is a bus line from the town center Senjuinbashi to Okunoin-mae (final stop) which is within a-minute walk to the Cemetery.

7. Old Chusetsu Tunnel – Fukuoka

In the creepy Chusetsu Tunnel, actual frightening murders took place.

Out-of-service tunnels are dangerous not only in Japan but anywhere in the world. In this creepy Chusetsu Tunnel, actual frightening murders took place. It is horrifying to just walk past the entrance let alone wandering through it. Some daring travelers have reported about their strange experience inside the tunnels, for example, there are wailing voices warning “stop”.  That strange phenomenon attracts the attention of Japanese TV programs so every year there are adventure shows there.

• Location: Hachioji, Tokyo, Fukuoka
• Access: only independent travel

8. Nara Dreamland

Haikyoists, or urban explorers claim to witness strange happenings in Nara Dreamland.

Constructed in 1961, it used to be the substitute Disneyland theme park in Nara, Japan until the real Tokyo Disneyland opened. Nara Dreamland was quickly out of business in 2006 and soon becomes quite decayed after 15 years. There are overgrown plants, demolished roller coasters, and torn-down animation statues, which are pretty spooky images. Now, it is no place for families and kids, but more like a popular site for haikyoists, or urban explorers who claim to see strange happenings here.

• Location: Nara, Japan

9. Okunoshima Rabbit Island

Okunoshima may be more popular for its cute tourism as most of 100,000 visitors to this island every year, come to feed and interact with the rabbits. But the dark secret behind Okunoshima and its huge number of feral rabbits also makes it stand out in the dark tourism in Japan.

The descendants of the lab rabbits (approximately 10,000 rabbits) are the main residents on this island

From 1929 toward the end of World War II, Okunoshima island hosted many chemical weapons production including mustard gas or cyanic acid. There are rumors that the use of these toxic substances is not only WWII but also the Japanese war against China in which thousands of people died. This cruel production has been only brought to the light since the 1980s when more and more victims started speaking up. Then, the local authority built a Poison Gas Museum and allow a guided tour here. The descendants of the lab rabbits (approximately 10,000 rabbits) are the main residents on this island now. For more information, please visit: http://rabbit-island.info/en/

• Location: 2 miles (3.2 km) off the coast at Tadanoumi in Hiroshima Prefecture
• Access: independent travel or tour, the best way is to catch a 15-minute ferry from Tadanoumi
• Cost: affordable (except hotel price)

10. Meguro Parasitological Museum

There is a 300-preserved-specimen display in Meguro Museum.

Even if you have a short trip to Tokyo, you can still experience dark tourism in Japan by visiting Meguro Parasitological Museum. It is a medical museum from almost 70 years ago with a devotion to parasitology. In particular, there is a 300-preserved-specimen display and a library that has 5,000 books, as well as 50,000 papers on parasites. Therefore, the museum exhibition proves to be of good educational purpose and a quite itchy visual challenge to some. On the second floor, you can buy some souvenirs such as T-shirts, a guidebook or even a mobile-phone straps with actual parasites embedded. For more information, please visit the official website at https://www.kiseichu.org/e-top

• Location: Meguro Ward, Tokyo, Japan.
• Access: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m from Wednesday to Sunday.
• Cost: Free (Donations are welcome)

11. Ishinomaki

Another place affected tremendously by the 3 rd March 2011 earthquake and tsunami (up to 8 meters!), is the seafront district of Ishinomaki. At that time, the flooding hit the city center which caused the destruction of functioning infrastructure. Moreover, broken gas pipes resulted in fires and burning houses. The number of fatalities was 3300 people and that of evacuees was 50,000 people. Regarding money, the damage in Ishinomaki costs over 250 billion yen or 30 billion EUR.

As a foreign visitor, you can access English information and narrative at Ishinomaki.

Compared to other places destroyed by the tsunami in Japan, Ishinomaki may not be the most severe case. However, the documentation along with the tribute to the past here is well organized by the Ishinomaki Community & Info Center (ICIC) which the director is British Therefore, as a foreign visitor, you can be sure that you can access English information and narrative at the place.

• Location: in the north-east of Miyagi Prefecture in northern Honshu, Japan
• Access: easy to find and visit

12. Kenji Monument and Cave, Okinawa

The last destination of dark tourism in Japan is the Kenji monument. It serves as a memorial to nearly 400 high school-age boys. These boys had to join the war unwillingly and mostly lost their lives. Kenji cave was where they were trapped by US troops and many suicided instead of being captured according to the urge of the Japanese propaganda. Others couldn’t survive through enemy fire or bombardment.

The cave was where the boys spent their last few days.

Arriving at this place, you can see numerous monuments but the most famous is Kenji-no-To which is the statue of three boys. There is also a tiny memorial usually full of flowers under a huge block of rock. Right nearby is the cave where the boys spent their last few days.

• Location: to the south coast of Okinawa Prefecture, west of Okinawa Peace Memorial Park Access: quite difficult to find.

In a few year’s time, dark tourism in Japan witnesses an incredible rise in popularity. Aside from anime, robots, or festivals, you can visit the rising sun country to enjoy a whole new creepy experience in some spooky locations. In fact, these places (some with English-speaking guided tours) are getting more and more accessible for foreign tourists. One thing to keep in mind is that this list doesn’t aim to draw attention to the bad but would rather focus on the positive effect of dark tourism in terms of educational and economic purposes. All in all, should you have any questions or any story to tell involved with dark tourism in Japan, please feel free to share with us in the comment section.

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Japan’s fukushima considering action over netflix’s ‘dark tourist’ nuclear episode.

The local government and the Reconstruction Agency are not happy with portrayals of unspecified high-radiation locations and speculation over contaminated food.

By Gavin J Blair

Gavin J Blair

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Japan’s Reconstruction Agency and Fukushima Prefectural Government are considering legal action over the episode of Netflix ‘s Dark Tourist ,   which visited places still dealing with the aftermath of the March 2011 triple nuclear meltdown.

The episode, the second in the series released on the streaming giant July 20, sees New Zealand journalist David Farrier visit Japan, with just more than half of the program following him on an organized bus tour through areas near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant.

Farrier and the other tourists become concerned as the readings on their Geiger counters showed radiation higher than they were told to expect and what is deemed to be safe levels. The group eventually decides to cut the tour short, but not before eating at a restaurant in the area and Farrier leaving the group to enter an off-limit gaming arcade. While at the restaurant, Farrier talks about his concerns about the food being unsafe, before finishing his meal.

“We’re examining the video content,” a senior official from the prefecture told news agency Jiji.

The parts of the video that the authorities have taken objection to are the section showing the high radiation levels, but not saying where they were filmed, the speculation about food contamination and Farrier’s excursion into the off-limits area.

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'dark tourist': tv review.

Almost 100,000 foreign tourists are estimated to have visited Fukushima last year on what have been dubbed nuclear tourism tours.

Nearly 20,000 people died in March 2011, when a huge earthquake set off a devastating tsunami that knocked the cooling systems of the nuclear plant out of action, leading to three reactors at Daiichi melting down.

The local and national government have been working to have bans on food produces from the area rescinded, which they have been gradually achieving.

During the episode, Farrier also visits the Aokigahara forest, an area known for suicides. YouTuber Paul Logan faced a backlash at the beginning of the year after posting a video from the forest, where he had discovered a corpse. Farrier also stays in a robot-run hotel and takes a tour to the abandoned Hashima Island. Once a coal mine, the industrial wasteland of the island has attracted tourists and attention in recent years, appearing in the James Bond film  Skyfall  and the Japanese Attack on Titan live-action movies.

Other episodes feature tourism related to voodoo, drug barons, mass murderers and survivalists.

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Season 1 – Dark Tourist

Where to watch, dark tourist — season 1.

Watch Dark Tourist — Season 1 with a subscription on Netflix.

What to Know

Host David Farrier's empathetic curiosity keeps Dark Tourist from feeling too exploitative -- though shallow observations about its macabre destinations often leave something to be desired.

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Audience reviews, cast & crew.

David Farrier

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Japanese History & Culture Travel

Dark Tourism in Japan | List of 7

From Hiroshima to Aokigahara, we look at some of the country’s most well-known dark tourist destinations

June 6, 2023 Updated On January 21, 2024

The term dark tourism was coined in 1996 by  Glasgow Caledonian University researchers  John Lennon and Malcolm Foley, though the phenomenon itself is said to date back to Gallo-Roman times. It refers to places associated with death, suffering and misfortune. This kind of tourism can be controversial, however, with critics arguing that it exploits human misery. Posing for selfies at sites like Auschwitz-Birkenau certainly raises questions about ethics. Dark tourism, though, doesn’t have to be voyeuristic. For many travelers, it’s a chance to gain a better understanding of dark events in history, of which there have been many in this country. Here’s a list of seven dark tourist destinations in Japan.  

Hiroshima Peace Memorial | Image by Zaru Rosario via Shutterstock

When it comes to dark tourism in Japan, two cities stand out above all others. The first is, of course, Hiroshima, which was hit by the atomic bomb “Little Boy” on August 6, 1945. Seconds after the detonation, the temperature at ground zero was estimated to be between 3,000 and 4,000 degrees Celsius. An hour later, “black rain” started falling on the city, causing additional radiation exposure. Between 90,000 and 166,000 are estimated to have died in the four-month period following the explosion. Most of the buildings in the vicinity of the hypocenter were destroyed. The only structure left standing in the area was the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall.  

Some locals called for it to be torn down. Others felt it needed to be preserved as a memorial of that fateful day. Over three quarters of a century on and the sturdy building, now known as the Genbaku Dome, is one of Japan’s most famous tourist attractions. It’s part of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park , which also features a cenotaph for the A-Bomb victims, a peace bell, the Children’s Peace Monument commemorating Sadako Sasaki and the thousands of other kids who died as a result of the bombing and the Flame of Peace, which will continue burning until there are no nuclear weapons left on earth.  

Nagasaki Peace Park | Image by EQRoy via Shutterstock

Japan’s most famous dark tourism destination after Hiroshima is, of course, Nagasaki. It was the second, and so far, last city in the world to have experienced a nuclear attack. The explosive device, nicknamed “Fat Man,” was originally intended for Kokura in Fukuoka Prefecture . However, cloud cover and smoke from nearby bombings obscured visibility of the aiming point. With fuel running low, the B-29 bomber switched to its secondary target of Nagasaki . The bomb was dropped at 11:02am on August 9, 1945. It’s estimated that between 40,000 and 75,000 people were killed immediately by the explosion. Six days later, Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s surrender via radio.  

Visitors to Nagasaki often visit the Atomic Bomb Museum , which is only a few steps away from the hypocenter. Other standout sites related to the A-bomb attack include the ruins of the Urakami Cathedral wall, Sanno Shrine’s one-legged Torii gate and the giant camphor trees behind it, which were scorched and burned in the attack yet miraculously survived and have since been enveloped by new growth. Another dark event in Nagasaki’s history was the execution of the 26 Martyrs of Japan in 1597. The country’s ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi staged the killings as a warning against Christians. Oura Church is dedicated to their memory. There’s also a monument in their honor.  

Hashima Island | Image by Michael Runkel / Westend61 on Offset via Shutterstock

Hashima Island

Staying in Nagasaki, Hashima Island is one of Japan’s most photogenic tourist destinations and was the inspiration for villain Raoul Silva’s deserted hideout in the James Bond movie Skyfall . Commonly called Gunkanjima due to its battleship-like shape, the coal mining island was purchased by Mitsubishi in 1890. From the 1930s to the end of World War II, thousands of Koreans and others were forced to work there against their will. Many conscripted laborers died due to the harsh conditions. The mine eventually closed in 1974 as petroleum replaced coal in Japan. It left the tiny island, which was once the most densely populated city in the world, completely deserted.  

The ‘Ghost’ island was then closed to the public for decades. However, in 2009, the city of Nagasaki issued permits for ferry operators to take tourists there. They were given limited access to a section of the ruins. Visitors can’t get too close to the buildings, though, in case they collapse. Hashima Island is part of the “ Sites of the Meiji Industrial Revolution ,” which in 2015 was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Another haunting island worth visiting in Nagasaki is Ikeshima. Once a thriving coal-mining town with more than 10,000 inhabitants, there are now a little over 100 people living there. There are also many cats and abandoned buildings.  

Matsushiro Underground Imperial Headquarters | Image by rokumon via Shutterstock

Matsushiro Underground Imperial Headquarters

For WWII buffs, there are plenty of sites away from Hiroshima and Nagasaki worth visiting. One of the eeriest is the Matsushiro Underground Imperial Headquarters in Nagano Prefecture. A large underground bunker constructed by thousands of Korean and some Japanese laborers during the war, it was built to house Emperor Hirohito and his family as well as military officials in the event of an allied invasion. Though it wasn’t completed, by the time Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945, around 5,900 square meters of floor space had been excavated. It’s estimated that roughly 1,500 workers died during construction due to malnutrition, exhaustion and execution.   

From 1989 onwards, 500 meters of the facility became open to the public. While the tunnels are mostly bare, a small museum outside provides information regarding the conditions the laborers had to endure. Details are limited, however, as most of the documentation relating to the complex was destroyed. Moving closer to Tokyo, other tunnels related to WWII can be found in Yokohama, 30 meters below Keio University’s Hiyoshi Campus, and in Saitama, beneath the Hundred Caves of Yoshimi . In the former, the Imperial Japanese Navy commanded some of their most destructive battles, while the latter was used as an underground munitions factory.  

Fukushima Nuclear Plant chimneys | Image by Santiherllor via Shutterstock

Fukushima Exclusion Zone 

Caused by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and a tsunami with waves of up to 40.5 meters, the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant in 2011 was the second worst in history behind the Chernobyl accident in 1986. It led to a 20-kilometer exclusion zone being declared around the crippled plant. A standard tour arranged by Real Fukushima includes visits to former shut-down areas as well as the current exclusion zone. For those interested in going in even deeper, there’s a monthly Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Study Tour to learn about the site of the disaster and the decommissioning process.   

According to Real Fukushima’s  website , visitors’ accumulated radiation dose should be around 10-20 micro-sieverts, the equivalent of two dental X-rays. The company arranges official tours, unlike the one in the Netflix documentary  Dark Tourist  where narrator David Farrier was allowed off the bus to look around a destroyed amusement arcade in a “no returning” area. We then hear him speculating about the possibility of his food being contaminated despite the  threshold for radioactive substances  in ingredients from the region being lower than in the U.S. and the European Union. With the group’s Geiger counters constantly beeping, the program focused purely on shock-value rather than educating viewers about the recovery effort.   

Kejonuma Leisure Land | Image by travelershigh via Shutterstock

Kejonuma Leisure Land

Heading north of Fukushima to its neighboring prefecture of Miyagi is where you’ll find Kejonuma Leisure Land. Once a thriving amusement park that attracted over 200,000 visitors annually, it’s now one of the country’s most famous obsolete ruins, known in Japanese as  haikyo . Opened in 1979, the place was forced to close two decades later due to a significant drop in the number of customers. Superstitious people believe the park was always destined to fail. This was due to the supposed curse placed on the land by a beautiful damsel who gave birth to a snake and ended up killing herself. 

Interest in Kejonuma, which means “pond of the ghost woman,” grew after it featured in a 2010 film. Many of the attractions stayed upright despite the earthquake and tsunami that occurred a year later and are still standing today, including the rusted Ferris wheel and carousel. There are several other abandoned theme parks in Japan. However, the most famous, Nara Dreamland, was recently demolished. As was the supposedly haunted Nakagusuku Hotel in Okinawa. For haikyoists, though, there are still so many famous abandoned sites and areas throughout the country to visit, including, among others, Hachijo Royal Resort , the ghost town of Nichitsu and the Shime Coal Mine .  

Aokigahara | Image by Marvin Minder via Shutterstock

Aokigahara 

Another destination in  Dark Tourist  was Aokigahara, a hauntingly beautiful forest that’s sadly most well-known as Japan’s leading suicide spot. It featured in Hollywood movies such as  The Sea of Trees  with Matthew McConaughey and  The Forest  starring Natalie Dormer and then made global headlines at the beginning of 2018 when Logan Paul showed the body of a suicide victim on his YouTube channel. Following a barrage of criticism, he apologized for the video, but the damage had been done. At the very least, the episode showed potential visitors to the area the importance of being respectful and not trivializing or sensationalizing such a sensitive topic.   

The forest formed from hardened lava after Mount Fuji erupted in 864. According to folklore, it was a place where people once practiced ubasute — a form of senicide which involved dumping an elderly person in a remote place. It, therefore, became associated with death and evil spirits, known as yurei . The number of people taking their own lives there increased significantly in the 1960s after the release of Seicho Matsumoto’s novel  Tower of Waves.  It’s more than just a suicide spot, though. Commonly known as Jukai, meaning a “sea of trees,” it’s an ethereal forest with lush greenery and deep lava caves. 

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Dark Tourist

From a nuclear lake to a haunted forest, journalist David Farrier visits unusual -- and often macabre -- tourism spots around the world.

Latin America

David meets Pablo Escobar's enforcer in Colombia. Later, he witnesses an exorcism in Mexico and participates in a faux illegal border crossing.

David visits a town hit by heavy radiation, hikes through a supposedly haunted forest and explores an abandoned island with its former residents.

United States

David meets a Jeffrey Dahmer enthusiast in Milwaukee, takes two tours dedicated to JFK's assassination in Dallas and dines with vampires in New Orleans.

In Kazakhstan, David and a fellow dark tourist swim in a lake formed by a nuclear blast. Later, David's trip to Turkmenistan doesn't go as planned.

After participating in a World War II reenactment, David visits a disturbing museum. He then travels to Cyprus in hopes of seeing a forbidden city.

South East Asia

In Cambodia, David is offered the chance to shoot a cow. Later, he tours Myanmar before witnessing the cleaning of a mummified corpse in Indonesia.

David attends a voodoo festival in Benin, visits an infamous area of Johannesburg and speaks with white South African separatists.

Back in the USA

Charles Manson's pen pal gets confrontational in an interview. Also, David prepares for the end of the world and visits an extreme haunted house.

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Debate on 'dark tourism' looms over Japan's quake-hit Noto Peninsula

June 23, 2024 (Mainichi Japan)

Kanazawa (Kyodo) -- Residents of the Noto Peninsula in central Japan have been witnessing a curious surge in tourists, a mere five months after the region was severely damaged by a major earthquake.

While some see the boost in tourism as a positive -- a way for people to grasp the reality of the situation in the region amid growing concerns of a drop in visitors following the New Year's Day temblor -- others argue the trend of people traveling to the remote peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture is a form of "dark tourism."

Experts say there are benefits to people seeing the devastation first-hand, provided the focus is on its historical value rather than focusing on the death and tragedy that occurred, with tourists urged to continue supporting the peninsula, which extends into the Sea of Japan, once they return home.

Dark tourism is a term used to describe travel done for the fascination of seeing places historically associated with death and suffering.

At the Wajima Asaichi, a morning market that has operated for more than 1,000 years in the regional hub of Wajima, tourists took pictures of the destruction left at the site with their smartphones during the Golden Week holiday season.

One man stopped his motorbike to look at the devastation of the burned ruins, gazing with amazement at the transformed landscape.

"I know what happened because of news media reports, but I'm shocked to see the actual scene," said the man in his 50s from the city of Toyama, who visits Noto annually. He added that he had not come merely on a "pleasure jaunt" but brought medicine and other relief supplies to hand out to the disaster's victims.

A motorcyclist in his 40s visited the area from Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, near Tokyo, during a biking tour across Japan. "Time passes in the blink of an eye here," he said. He plans to write about his trip to Wajima and what he saw there in his travel blog.

Transportation networks severed in the quake-stricken areas have been gradually restored, making it easier for visitors to travel to the region, while some local restaurants have reopened.

Some local residents welcome tourists to Noto now that visitors to the peninsula have declined.

Noriko Takebayashi, 60, who operates a flower shop in Wajima, was recently surprised when she was asked for directions by a driver from Kagoshima Prefecture, the southernmost prefecture on the island of Kyushu. She obliged, but said she hoped the driver would let others know about the city's devastation.

The owner of a restaurant in a tourist facility in Wajima suggested that it is important to look forward instead of "always crying" about the disaster. "Tourism remains alive because people come to see the effects of the earthquake," she said.

But other locals are more resistant to having visitors, especially if they are only coming to witness the devastation. "Some come here just for fun," said a woman in her 50s.

Shocked by the devastated condition of Wajima Asaichi, a place so familiar to her, she is still reluctant to go there herself and has mixed feelings toward tourists walking around the area.

Akira Ide, professor of tourism studies at Kanazawa University, pointed out there is "a strong tendency in Japan to view dark tourism as inappropriate." Following the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that hit the Tohoku northeastern region of Japan, people criticized the tourists who visited the devastated sites.

But Ide also said that dark tourism enables visitors to consider how reconstruction projects should be carried out, as they can discover facts not reported in the media and learn first-hand about disasters.

Stressing that visitors should pay due consideration to disaster victims, Ide said they "might as well travel to affected places if they can explain the reasons for their visits."

He said because of the prolonged reconstruction work underway and the continual support it needs, efforts to prevent a decline in visitors in the area are needed more than ever.

He called for continued financial support for the Noto region from tourists after they return home through donations and other measures, such as the "hometown tax" program, which lets people earmark part of their tax payments for specific municipalities.

(By Riku Nishio)

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Dark Tourist

From a nuclear lake to a haunted forest, journalist David Farrier visits unusual -- and often macabre -- tourism spots around the world.

Latin America

David meets Pablo Escobar's enforcer in Colombia. Later, he witnesses an exorcism in Mexico and participates in a faux illegal border crossing.

David visits a town hit by heavy radiation, hikes through a supposedly haunted forest and explores an abandoned island with its former residents.

United States

David meets a Jeffrey Dahmer enthusiast in Milwaukee, takes two tours dedicated to JFK's assassination in Dallas and dines with vampires in New Orleans.

In Kazakhstan, David and a fellow dark tourist swim in a lake formed by a nuclear blast. Later, David's trip to Turkmenistan doesn't go as planned.

After participating in a World War II reenactment, David visits a disturbing museum. He then travels to Cyprus in hopes of seeing a forbidden city.

South East Asia

In Cambodia, David is offered the chance to shoot a cow. Later, he tours Myanmar before witnessing the cleaning of a mummified corpse in Indonesia.

David attends a voodoo festival in Benin, visits an infamous area of Johannesburg and speaks with white South African separatists.

Back in the USA

Charles Manson's pen pal gets confrontational in an interview. Also, David prepares for the end of the world and visits an extreme haunted house.

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Episode list

Dark tourist.

S1.E1 ∙ Latin America

S1.E2 ∙ Japan

S1.E3 ∙ United States

S1.E4 ∙ The Stans

S1.E5 ∙ Europe

S1.E6 ∙ South East Asia

S1.E7 ∙ Africa

S1.E8 ∙ Back in the USA

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