Since the announcement of Silent Hill f back in 2022, questions about its connection to the rest of the series have circulated online. After years of speculation, an answer has emerged.
In Silent Hill f, players discover that Hinako, exploring Ebisugaoka, is experiencing drug-induced psychosis. The game reveals that it is her wedding day, during which she has murdered friends and family members. This horrific revelation is rooted in her use of Kakura-Makakura, a natural medicine made from Hakkokusou seeds.
Hinako was prescribed Kakura-Makakura by her friend Shu to alleviate tension headaches. Shu’s journal entries indicate he aimed to reduce her reliance on traditional medication, combining peony and kudzu root to create it. Additional documents throughout Silent Hill f provide further insight into the medication.
Research papers in Silent Hill f refer to Hakkokusou as “the flower of the gods.” The documents state that consuming its seeds grants the ability to converse with gods and awaken dormant powers. Hakkokusou is noted for being difficult to cultivate and rarely found in the wild, which explains its presence near Shu’s home, the town’s apothecary.
Upon reaching Shu’s house, players encounter a pond surrounded by large, white flowers, which connect Silent Hill f to previous games. These flowers, referred to as Hakkokusou, resemble White Claudia, a “perennial herb found near water” known for its hallucinogenic properties.
White Claudia has played a significant role in the Silent Hill series. In the first game, protagonist Harry Mason finds documents indicating cultists consumed the flower’s seeds during ceremonies, explaining their behavior. He also discovers a broken bottle of Aglaophotis, a refined form of White Claudia.
In Silent Hill 3, Heather Mason treasures a pendant that contains a vial of Aglaophotis. Most recently, White Claudia appeared in Silent Hill 2’s remake, where a new ending features James consuming the substance and hallucinating his wife Mary.
Further exploration of Aglaophotis reveals it may be connected to the European peony. According to Fandom’s Silent Hill page, the Greek doctor Dioscorides identified Aglaophotis as part of the peony family. This aligns with Shu’s journal entries about using peonies in Kakura-Makakura.
Agura no Hotei-sama, required for Silent Hill f’s Fox Wedding ending, is described as a medicine bottle containing a red liquid, similar to Aglaophotis. Hinako ultimately consumes the “flower of the gods” to stabilize herself in the spirit world.
Although Silent Hill f may not take place in Silent Hill, it shares thematic connections with the series. It has been described as “a visual spectacle, a mastercraft in psychological horror, a work of narrative brilliance, and a new benchmark for the Silent Hill series.”
