Located on the coast of Fukui Prefecture, Tojinbo is infamous in Japan as a place people commit suicide. Recently, however, it’s been teeming with life thanks to Pokemon GO.
[Image: tiwagoma]
The area is supposed to be haunted by a Buddhist priest who, according to one legend, was chucked off the cliffs because of his corruption or, according to another, was pushed off by a rival who was also vying for the same beautiful princess.
Suicides were so high at Tojinbo (as many as 25 a year) that a retired police officer named Yukio Shige began patrolling the area, trying to talk down people who planned to end it all. Around 20 volunteers have joined his crusade, and Shige estimates that they have saved over 500 lives.
J-Cast reports that recently, Pokemon GO players have spotted hard to get Pocket Monsters like Aerodactyl, Dragonite and Hitmonchan.
Now, families and young people are coming to Tojinbo, and the place, while spectacular, certainly seems a lot less grim.
https://twitter.com/reira01231/status/762166513394601984
ポケモンGOの聖地&自殺の名所としてめざましテレビで全国放送された三国の東尋坊🌅 pic.twitter.com/9ZwwGT9xUy
— KEN-SHO (@saru_surf) September 7, 2016
https://twitter.com/kaketyoMWAM/status/765054044444524544
https://twitter.com/sayaka1930/status/765845218281127936
https://twitter.com/jonny625/status/765798833083351040
東尋坊！
初めて来た。
ポケモンも沢山いた。笑
Anlyちゃんのてーしゃつ着て徘徊。 pic.twitter.com/cmBQOw54DS— ひがしー!!（東浦です）🌻🌸🌊 (@HIGASHI__kuuga) July 24, 2016
福井の東尋坊。水ポケモンが次から次へと湧いてました。
クラブってポケモンの世界でも食べられるんですかね。#ポケモンGO pic.twitter.com/4BcGFF9pga
— HT@ポケモンGO (@comemanaders002) August 11, 2016
https://twitter.com/erenxx330/status/764366209466765316
東尋坊まさかポケモンの聖地だなんて。 pic.twitter.com/1ou0tddxcP
— くぼ (@kubo_july) August 28, 2016
https://twitter.com/t12ku03ya/status/769893008783179776
昨日、東尋坊でポケモンいっぱいGetしました☀景気もキレイでした😃でも暑かった一💦#東尋坊#ポケモンGO pic.twitter.com/FpP5AfGunI
— cyoko-pina-tio (@CyokoOwl) August 7, 2016
One of the folks who patrols the area told Japanese TV that he felt as though this could be an opportunity to convey that suicide is wrong.
自殺の名所東尋坊。
ポケモンで賑やかな場所に変えて、ポケモンGO配信以来ここで自殺する人がいなくなったらしい
こういったメリットは嬉しいが
まだデメリットはあるからそちらも解決して欲しい pic.twitter.com/DFcydIygaH— スマ2.2 (@vihhdrea5) September 7, 2016
https://twitter.com/24_volleyball/status/764024365973331969
These are steep cliffs, so hopefully players will take care as they search for elusive Pokemon.
東尋坊人いっぱいだった(||ﾟДﾟ)♡ww
みんなポケモンの話してる😋💕✨わら pic.twitter.com/X9c3NnHIAa— なっちゃん☺︎ (@nacha_888) July 31, 2016
If depression is affecting you or someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Comments
6 responses to “Pokemon GO Leading Players To A Notorious Suicide Spot In Japan”
Nice work posting this on RUOK Day…..
Probably the point.
How can you misconstrue the message to be harmful?
A suicide spot is now vibrant with life and the souls to help those that have lost their way.
It’s not advertising suicide or a place to conduct it?
Maybe i am reading your message wrong and we are on the same page.
Otherwise there at least 4 dicks that dont get the message.
To be fair, these spots are a dime a dozen in Japan.
Japan has a lot of suicide spots? that’s… disturbing.
It really is, but influenced heavily by urban legends and history.
Bit of a cultural quirk in many ways.
Creepy stories make places more appealing, coverage of deaths raises awareness and feeds the stories, making areas more appealing etc
Pokemon Go leads you everywhere. You could spin a globe and stop it with your finger and chances are Pokemon Go would take you where it landed.