Shinrin-yoku movement GotoForest expands to thirteen countries

Future with Forest Association held its simultaneous forest experience event GotoForest! 2026 on 4 May. This year marked the first time the initiative expanded internationally, with 1,143 participants joining from 45 regions across 13 countries. The event encouraged people to walk in their local forests on the same day to reconnect with nature and share a collective experience across borders.

The GotoForest! movement originated in 2017 as a small forest bathing event in Tokyo. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the project evolved into a nationwide effort to help people connect with nature near their homes when travel was restricted. The practice of Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, has gained international attention as a method to restore mental and physical balance in an increasingly digital and uncertain world. Following interest from practitioners worldwide, this year’s event achieved its first global scale.

The theme for the 2026 event was Dialogue. Participants engaged in various programmes designed to foster a connection with the environment, themselves, and others by listening to the sounds of the forest and the wind. The event took place in 27 locations across Japan and 18 regions overseas, including Germany, Estonia, the United States, Chile, Singapore, and Nigeria. Local organisers reported that the sense of being connected to others worldwide through the forest provided a significant emotional impact for participants.

Nagisa Ono, the representative director of Future with Forest Association, shared that the desire to cherish forests is a common sentiment that transcends national and cultural boundaries. The association intends to continue expanding this network to promote a future where people and nature are more closely linked. Information regarding the 2027 version will be released on the official website and social media channels in due course.