Suicide Cliff

Suicide Cliff is a cliff at the northern end of Saipan island in the Northern Mariana Islands, rising about 250 feet (76 meters) above the sea. The terrain consists of limestone and drops steeply to the Pacific, surrounded by dense vegetation and an open field behind it.

In July 1944, as the Battle of Saipan ended, hundreds of Japanese civilians and soldiers jumped to their deaths here to avoid capture by American forces. The site became part of a national landmark district in 1985, linking several World War II locations on the island.

Japanese visitors often leave chains of folded paper cranes here, symbolizing peace and remembering lost relatives. The site carries the name Banzai Cliff in English, while the word itself was the final invocation many spoke before jumping.

The viewing point is accessible via a paved road with parking spaces, and from there visitors can look out over the cliff edge and the sea. Memorial plaques along the path explain the events that took place here and provide context for the history of the site.

The cliff sits close to Marpi Point, the northernmost tip of Saipan, where on clear days the neighboring islands of Tinian and Aguijan are visible from the edge. Some of the memorial stones carry the names of families who died here together, often mothers with their children.