Japan's Strangest Unsolved Mystery

Japan's Strangest Unsolved Mystery

(eerie music)

(static crackling)

(suspenseful music)

(static crackling)

- Monday. (foreboding music)

(animals calling)

The peak is shrouded in fog. It's the aftermath of one of the most violent storms

to hit the area in months.

A search helicopter

powers through the mist, scouring the region for a

pair of hikers from Tokyo

who set out the day prior and haven't been seen or heard from since.

This hunt had been ongoing for hours, sunlight dwindling as the search

Teams comb every crevice,

yet find no trace of anyone around. But as nightfall takes its grip,

enveloping the area in complete blackness, suddenly something

strange enters their view.

(Thunder crashes) Just south of Mount Asahi-dake,

a crudely constructed,

massive SOS sign beckons from a clearing.

It's undeniable that the

missing hikers have made this, and it's a damn good thing they did,

because with conditions like these, finding them otherwise would've

been nearly impossible.

(helicopters chopping)

(foreboding music) The team swarms the

area with newfound hope

that these hikers just

might be hiding nearby. They search, and search,

and search until, finally, (tense music)

They find them. (helicopters chopping)

About a mile north, the

two men emerge from a cave. They are completely disoriented,

battered, and exhausted,

But most prominently are

in complete disbelief that the rescuers found them.

As they're pulled up into the aircraft, the search team reassures them

that they're gonna be okay

before commending them on

their efforts while out there. "We couldn't have found you

without your help," they claim.

"You guys did a great

job building that signs."