Zenbird Editorial Team“Why do we feel good when we enter a forest?”
City life’s relentless noise and pace can overwhelm urban dwellers, causing stress and fatigue. Escaping to nature offers a vital relief, restoring one’s peace and balance. Spending time in the forest is particularly effective, providing both mental and physical benefits.
For shinrin-yoku enthusiasts, the reason why it feels good is clear. Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, is the practice of therapeutic relaxation by spending time in a forest, focusing on sensory engagement to connect with nature. And no, it’s not spending time in the forest for a placebo-induced high!
Immersing ourselves in the forest benefits our well-being, supported by scientific research. Phytoncides released by the forest boost immune function, reduce stress, and enhance mental well-being. Shinrin-yoku allows us to absorb these phytoncides, while also opening all five senses to reconnect with nature, helping to rebalance our well-being. The forest’s sounds, like flowing rivers and wild birds, along with its natural fragrances, act as aromatherapy, providing both mental and physical benefits.
But suppose we have only stopped short of a “full answer” to why we feel good spending time in a forest? What if we can feel better than just “good?” This revelation we’ll see as we look from the eyes of the Future with Forest Association.
A tour to discover the core of shinrin-yoku with Future with Forest
Future with Forest Association, led by Representative Director Nagisa Ono, organised the “Japan Shinrin-yoku tour 2024” from October 14 to 18. The tour would prove to be an essential experience, because it brought forest-bathing facilitators and enthusiasts from various countries to enjoy and discover the core of shinrin-yoku in Japan’s forests.
Future with Forest Association was founded in 2015 with the vision of creating a sustainable future for both forests and humans. They believe that for Japan’s forests to continue to grow healthily, everyone including companies, local communities, and individuals need to take an interest in forests, and develop and promote their appropriate uses for the modern era.
This tour was also a learning exchange for guides from Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT, originating from the United States) and Japanese shinrin-yoku facilitators to experience cross-boundary forest bathing. We had participants from various countries, including the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore and Slovakia. We came from various walks of life, too, for example, medical specialists caring for the mental welfare of children, landscape architects looking to bring nature into the urban area, aspiring forest therapists looking to introduce more people to forest bathing, and artists looking for inspiration from nature. In a way, we were all pilgrims on the path of deepening our relationship with the forest.
The term shinrin-yoku was introduced by the Forest Agency of Japan in 1982 to encourage urban residents to reconnect with forests as a form of preventive health care. However, Japan’s relationship with the forest dates back centuries, long before this modern concept emerged. For the ancient Japanese, immersion in the forest was not merely therapeutic, but a fundamental part of their culture. The forest was an integral role in daily life, from Shintoism, which emphasised reverence for all aspects of nature, to food and livelihood, to culture like haiku poetry, celebrating the emotions and gifts inspired by nature.
Tour participants realised along the way that we were in consensus that our disconnection from nature contributes to social and environmental issues such as stress and the climate crisis. Perhaps now, more than ever, Shinrin-yoku offers an opportunity to reconnect with nature, potentially addressing these challenges. What began as a simple experience of shinrin-yoku soon became, through Future with Forest’s guidance, a realisation of its potential as a force for meaningful change.
Never it asks a crumb of us – Our relationship with the forest
But before we can speak about that, we need to assess human civilization’s past and current relationships with the forest. It is easy for us to take for granted, but our lives are deeply linked with the forests. Apart from their roles as oxygen generators and providing home to millions of ecosystems, they are nature’s perfected carbon sequestrators.
On the first day of the tour, participants met and moved to Agematsu Town in Nagano Prefecture, where Future with Forest’s Ono set the foundation for the tour. Agematsu Tourism Association’s Kazue Matsubara gave us a preview of the forest we’d be visiting the next day, and Ono followed up with sharings about the current situation of the forests in Japan. The crux piqued our curiosity, as she revealed the relationship between the Japanese and the forest.
Historically, wood was used not only for firewood, but also formed the basics in ancient Japanese everyday life, like furniture and bathtubs. Even homes (both then and now) were made from wood, from the pillars to the sliding doors to the tatami mats. The forest graced the Japanese with food too, from vegetables to mushrooms to animal meat (and clean water, even!).
The forest also provided for the livelihood of many. Other than the forestry industry, artisans were also born, skilled in utilising the gifts offered by the forests. Lacquer trees gave rise to urushi culture. Fruits from Haze trees allowed artisans to create Japanese candles. Washi, or Japanese paper, were widely used in the past, and their materials come from trees. Artisans understood best that humans were a part of nature, and not separated from it. There is an understanding that nature’s resources were limited, so manufacturing products then were sustainable and were respectful to nature.
Our disconnect with the forest
Unfortunately, it is also true today that we are disconnected with nature, and we take the forest for granted, often ignoring its presence as an essential part of our lives. The term “plant blindness” is used to describe the phenomenon where people overlook plants in their environment. It highlights a widespread lack of awareness or appreciation for the diversity and ecological significance of plant life. This in turn threatens how we approach issues like food security, so much so that protecting nature as a solution is no longer intuitive.
Japan’s forests are also under-utilised, because they are not as valued as we’d like them to be. 68.5% of Japan is covered by forest, ranking it third among OECD member countries for forest coverage, thanks to the forefathers who carried out mass reforestation throughout Japan. Despite that, Japan’s wood self-sufficiency rate is 42.9% in 2023, because Japanese lumber is so undervalued that the forestry industry faces problems in financial sustainability. Today, many forests face abandonment and degradation.
We also saw how we were the toxic one in our shaky relationship with the forest. We have abused and degraded it with mass deforestation for land and resources, from illegal logging in the Amazon Rainforest to mining and poaching in the Congo Basin. The IUCN (2024) Red List recently updated their near-extinction list, and trees in threat of extinction now outnumber the total number of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians in threat.
Our departure from nature is not just an environmental problem, but one that affects our mental well-being. Stress and depression are prevalent in urban society, as though we traded in mental health for the convenience of a city life. In Japan, suicide cases increased more than 30,000 cases in 2005, which also spurred the introduction of Forest Therapy in various forests nationwide as as a self-care alternative to traditional medical methods.
So, we see the transition from humans being appreciative of the forest, which provided for anyone without constraint, to how the forest has become a footnote in many lives. (It shouldn’t be hard to find similar parallels to where you are from too.) How did we lose that connection with the forest, with nature? What was lost or gained in between? Future with Forest took us to visit the Birthplace of Shinrin-yoku in Nagano Prefecture to find out.
Birthplace of shinrin-yoku – the forest and the core of Japan
On the second day of the tour, we visited the national forest Akasawa Natural Recreation Forest. The Akasawa Natural Recreation Forest was designated as Japan’s first Recreation Forest in 1970 because the Kiso Japanese cypress forest in located within, which is one of the three most beautiful forests in Japan. It had the infrastructure to welcome visitors, including walking trails and a forest railway ride. The area is also named the Birthplace of Shinrin-yoku, because the first Shinrin-yoku event was held there to promote shinrin-yoku in 1982.
After a group introduction to the local Akasawa Forest guides, the guides led us through the forest path, introducing the key vegetation that defined the forest. The forest here has high levels of phytoncides (six times more than the regular forest!), which made the exploration in the forest pleasant. The tall canopies enveloped us with a sense of calm and rejuvenation. Our Japanese shinrin-yoku facilitators also took the opportunity to share some ways to connect with the forest through all our five sense (rather than using only sight,) like taking in the scent of the soil as a reminder of the 10 billion microorganisms keeping the soil rich. We even took the opportunity to sunbathe in the forest! An activity Future with Forest calls “moribokko.”
The local Akasawa Forest guides treated us to their knowledge of the Akasawa Natural Recreation Forest enthusiastically, sharing how the trees are treated with utmost respect by the Japanese. Many say that shinrin-yoku is a way of life, and it is here that we begin to understand what that really means: a cultural identity that originates from the forest, which is heavily rooted in Shinto.
Shintoism and the 1000-year-old respect for the forest
Shinto is the indigenous spiritual tradition that believes how spirits and deities reside in nature, so it is not just a religion, but a culture deeply rooted in nature. This is particularly true with the forest. Our guides shared this with us, revealing the Akasawa Natural Recreation Forest’s key importance to Ise Jingu, or Ise Shrine.
Ise Shrine in Mie Prefecture is a Shinto shrine beloved by many Japanese, because it was the origin point from where Shinto began spreading across Japan. About 1,300 years ago (in 690 AD), they began a ritual of Shikinen Sengu for various shrines in the vicinity, including the Shoden shrine that houses one of the three treasures of Shintoism. This ritual involves rebuilding the shrine every 20 years, a practice that persists till today. It embodies the philosophy of tokowaka (“everlasting youthfulness”), a mindset to preserve essence through continuous renewal.
Where does the wood to rebuild the shrine come from? In “recent years,” 300 years ago, the emperor declared the use of Kiso region’s cypress trees to be used for the sacred process. And the process is highly ritualised from start (selecting the tree) to completion (rebuilding) to dismantlement, revolving around one common theme: respect.
A day before a tree is cut down, they would set the tree on fire in a controlled manner. This act not only strengthens the wood, but also serves as a warning to living things living on and in the tree and nearby animals to stay away, indicating that the tree will soon be cut down.
Even “cut down” would not be the appropriate term here. Terms like “cutting down” or “felling” trees were not used. Instead, they use “resting” the trees, a term that has been used more than a thousand years ago and continues today.
The method of resting the tree is also unique. The method, mitsuhimogiri, involves three woodcutters axing carefully from three directions to ensure a safe fall of the timber. The entire process takes an entire hour, showing utmost respect for the taking of life, instead of the speedy, but thoughtless, chainsaw. Embedded behind that respect is also an oath to use every part of the tree without waste. You can see the process in the following video from Agematsu Tourism Association (timestamp at about 19 minutes.)
After the resting comes transport, the festival named the Sacred Tree Festival Tree Pulling Festival. Various methods were used to transport the precious logs throughout the ages, from trains to helicopters (especially the highly important ones.) Traditionally, the river was used, floating the log down from the Akasawa River that runs through the forest. Songs were sung in appreciation of the logs they were moving, exuding an air of respect with a hint of joy. We were lucky as tour participants to experience the ancient singing, too! The voices that reverberated through the forest touched many of us.
Wood from the dismantled old shrines is not discarded, but divided to the other shrines within the Ise Shrine compound and related-shrines outside of the prefecture for reuse purposes. Some of these shrines continue worshipping the sacred tree that the wood used to come from.
This respectful culture has been passed down from generation to generation for more than a thousand years, where the culture bonds the people, and respect for the forest endures. It is no wonder why Shintoism is often seen as the heart of the Japanese: it represents the wonderful harmony between human and nature that is founded on respect.
To know the forest is to connect with the local memories
That is the story of the trees from the Kiso region and Akasawa Natural Recreation Forest, of how sacred they are to the region’s and the country’s culture. What that suggests is that different forests have different historical or cultural influences.
This was indeed the case when we visited the forest of Hiwada Highlands the next morning, where the deity of the pond graced us with a short bout of cooling drizzle, giving the forest a deep lush of green. But we soon forgot about the wetness as we took in the tranquil and spiritual ambience. New Japanese shinrin-yoku facilitators joined us, sharing their expert knowledge of the forest. This is also where they redemonstrated how they drew out the memories of the land.
Even as an amateur, I could tell the forest was different from Akasawa Natural Recreation Forest. It is located in the region of Mount Ontake, which is considered a sacred mountain among many Japanese. It is here we discovered the important concept of “ikei no nen.”
Ikei no nen can be translated as “a sense of reverence and awe.” In the past, the Japanese living in this region understood how they were a part of nature, and how easily they were affected by it. The region is high in altitude and faces harsh winters. The inhabitants were aware of the dangers well, and regarded the cold as a force to reckon with. But they also understood that the climate of the region brings many gifts too, including the variety of trees and food that come along with it. This combination of reverence, respect and wonder forms the foundation for coexistence between humans and nature.
So, the forest is not just a location, but a place that holds the memories of humans co-existing with the forest while also revering as something greater than themselves. These are deep connections, history, and culture of the local region that are unlockable through shinrin-yoku. And the facilitators gave us that cosmic perspective in both forests.
Our soul selects our own society – The many shades of shinrin-yoku
Future with Forest has shown us that when we enter the forest in Japan, shinrin-yoku can become a bridge that lets us connect with the forest with love and respect, and to connect with local culture, thus giving us a perspective on our part in the great ecosystem. But is shinrin-yoku the same everywhere in the world?
On the third day, we arrived in Takayama City, where the rest of the Japanese shinrin-yoku facilitators met up with the tour participants. It was time to enter the next phase of the tour: learning exchange between facilitators from Japan and other countries. After an introduction from an official from Takayama City to welcome everyone, Jackie Kuang, Business Director for the ANFT Guides and Programs, presented how ANFT approaches forest bathing.
ANFT believes in nurturing heart-centered relationships between nature and humans. A key feature of their approach to forest bathing is the process of accessing the heart intelligence. To fully tap into our own heart intelligence, Amos Clifford, ANFT founder, developed the Standard Sequence for ANFT’s Relational Forest Therapy, to awaken deeper parts of ourselves that reveal our relationship with the world around us. The steps are also purposefully “invitations,” non-mandatory in the sense that they are carried out only if participants wish to do so.
The Sequence starts with a “Pleasure of Presence,” bringing awareness of the self’s mind, emotion and body, then moving on to “Notice What’s in Motion,” inviting participants to discover what they need. The participants then select a forest being to communicate with, for example a tree or a rock the participant felt a connection to. This is akin to a “Partnership,” which can take place without words or through sensory overlaps, like hearing through other senses.
Sharing follows, with a focus on noticing what’s happening within the individual. Participants will then choose a “Sit Spot,” giving themselves time to reflect for inner coherence. Eventually, the session closes out with a tea ceremony (a tea session with intention, not to be confused with Japanese Sado tea ceremonies.) Post-session walks can occur after the experience is over, even after days or months, with the desire to reconnect with nature resurfacing in the self.
Kuang also shared how past participants have made deep personal connections while on these Relational Forest Therapy walks. Part of that success comes from guides being facilitators, to facilitate an open experience for each participant, holding no expectations for any result. They are even careful with wording to ensure the right focus, for example, asking “what are you noticing?” rather than “how was the experience?” to hone in on the human experience the participant has made connection with.
International exchange of forest bathing ideas
On the fourth day of the tour, we visited the Kiyomi Forest in the same region of Hida Takayama, a forest that is once again different from the previous two we visited. This forest is located in high altitudes, and the particular location we gathered in is managed by the locals, which is often used to provide educational programs about nature for children. Historically, the forest formed the foundation of the livelihood of people in the Hida region, and craftsmen today still use the trees to make furniture. We could see the forest beginning its preparations to colour the region with the seasonal orange.
Here, Ono set the participants a task: to develop a shinrin-yoku program with a specific target audience in mind, in a way that allows humans to coexist with forests. However, she wanted everyone to focus on the process instead of the result. The goal was to use the session as an exchange between ANFT guides and shinrin-yoku facilitators, so that both parties may discover how their methods differed and what they emphasised.
Very quickly, the groups were able to establish their target groups, including stressed individuals, senior participants and wheelchair users. ANFT members then followed up with quick brainstorming, giving wonderful ideas on how to open participants’ senses to the forest, effective methods that overcame the disconnect between the person and the trees. Creativity trickled throughout the discussions, with ideas to use senses beyond the visual or to make connection with personal memories. There was joy, movement and camaraderie.
The Japanese shinrin-yoku facilitators rooted their discussions to tangle with local culture and history. One of the facilitators from Takayama City shared the culture of the forest, like how the locals used to tell snowfall and depended on the forest for food. Another facilitator shared with us the various plant species in the forest, enjoying the touch and scents of them. There was contentment in learning how the locals loved and coexisted with the forest, and everyone experienced gratitude for the gifts the forest offered us.
All the participants were on point with the given task, learning first-hand how each other approached a shinrin-yoku session. Methods were diverse yet complementary. For example, ANFT guides flexed their creativity to open up participants’ senses for inner resonance, while Japanese facilitators made the experiences relevant with the forest’s lore. While Japanese facilitators felt they needed a catalyst to improve their methods, ANFT guides shared that the Japanese respect for nature shouldn’t have to change.
Success in circuit lies – The fullest potential of shinrin-yoku
Even though the common thread is the forest, different countries have different concepts in conducting shinrin-yoku or forest bathing. Japan shows respect to nature and culture, United States accepts diversity in personal connections with nature, Sweden has Friluftsliv making interaction with “outside” a norm, and Germany has Waldeinsamkeit for a meditative practice.
To ask which way of doing shinrin-yoku is “right” would not be a useful discussion. As we have learnt from the tour, shinrin-yoku has a flexible characteristic, able to cater to diverse groups, and adjust accordingly to the forest’s resources and participants’ needs.
But asking what shinrin-yoku can do? That yields a grand vision: a regenerative way of life that gives back to nature.
If we look at the training course of Future with Forest for shinrin-yoku facilitators, we see that the facilitators are defined as “a person who leads action, which helps forests, local communities and people that are involved, become a better state through shinrin-yoku.”
“Helps forests, local communities and people that are involved.” This is the core of Japan’s shinrin-yoku: a focus on returning the gratitude of the gifts we receive from nature, and circulating it back to the forest itself and its local stakeholders. We saw the “Shinto model” carrying the same spirit, managing the forest in a manner that benefits nature and everyone.
In Future with Forest’s course, trainees do not only study about the process of planning shinrin-yoku programs, the characteristics of the forests, and the effects of shinrin-yoku on mental and physical health. They also study nature-related issues specific to the region, the biodiversity of the region, and the history and connection to local communities. Facilitators also seek active cooperation with local communities. From there, participants have the opportunity to learn from the facilitators and give back to the locals who coexist with the forest. More importantly, they can contribute to making the forest healthier and more abundant.
Shinrin-yoku facilitators play a bigger role than simply conducting shinrin-yoku sessions. They are key parts to a greater system of the betterment of the forest and the local communities. These facilitators expand the potential of shinrin-yoku. “Potential” not just in the sense of what forests can do for us through shinrin-yoku, but also about what we can do for forests, and for the people who care for the forests.
Regenerative relationships with the forest
This is why Future with Forest sees shinrin-yoku as more than a practice for personal well-being, more than a therapeutic treatment for health. Shinrin-yoku also offers a solution for local regions to utilise local forests to contribute to local economies, eventually developing a virtuous cycle that increases the value of forests.
For example, shinrin-yoku can promote the forest as an attraction for both domestic and international visitors, increasing their interest in the local region and developing relationships (thus developing relationship population.) That interest spurs local economic growth.
Subsequently, it motivates locals to leverage on the forest to make the forest even more captivating. That can come in the form of product development based on local wood, or utilising ingredients from the forest for local cuisines. These activities affirm the intention to protect and nurture the forest, which will in turn benefit all the stakeholders who care about the forest, from hikers to tourists to businesses. This regenerative cycle grows the forest, increases the value of the forest and benefits the local economy. Secondary benefits would spawn, for example, the firming of soil that resists natural disasters such as landslides.
And we have examples for how that regenerative relationship can look like in Japan. One example comes from Hiroshima Prefecture’s Asageshiki. This tour organises forest hikes through Mount Futaba, with part of its proceeds going into maintaining the mountain’s forest. A group of guides initially got together to improve the conditions of the trail so that others can enjoy the hike, but that eventually evolved into something more. The tour now leads visitors to the Peace Pagoda, where religious relics from different religions are placed to pray for peace. The tour guide also conducts a shinrin-yoku session at the summit, connecting the participants with the forest and the region’s history. It closes up with a Japanese tea ceremony, with an option for a specially-arranged breakfast.
We have another example in Nagano Prefecture, where Ikusaka Village is promoting a satoyama revitalization program. Satoyama is a traditional Japanese landscape that represents the harmonious coexistence of human settlements and managed natural environments. Their program would teach visitors about the essence of living organisms, helping visitors acquire nature-related knowledge through hands-on experiences. These activities include nature surveys, ecological restoration efforts, and interactions with local residents. The idea is to foster a deep relationship with the surrounding lands, encouraging participants to view Ikusaka as a second home.
Conclusion: Why do we feel good when we enter a forest?
In Zenbird, we often talk about Circular Edonomy, Japan’s perfected Circular Economy model that made the then-biggest city in the world sustainable for more than two centuries (ancient Tokyo!) One of the many foundations that allowed ancient Japan to perfect their model of Circular Economy is the practice of, not just understanding of, the philosophy that humans are a part of nature. Humans and nature are not two separate identities.
We feel good when we enter the forest because of positive physiological and psychological effects. But in the ancient Japanese’s relationship with the forest, they felt an elevated sense of joy that resided in their spirit. Not only were their lifestyles and livelihoods closely linked with the forest, they found a sense of accomplishment in caring for it. These manifested in respectful and conscious forms, like sustaining on rotational forestry, passing down mindful rituals, and carefully cultivating the forest for future generations. Time bore witness to how the Japanese were active contributors of their part in a greater ecosystem and being proud to be in it.
Within the experience of shinrin-yoku and the Japan Shinrin-yoku tour 2024, lies the lessons not of consumption but of respect, not of individuality but of community, not of profit but of sustainability. If everyone could adopt these mindsets of care and respect for the forest and nature, wouldn’t many of our environmental issues be addressed, directly and indirectly? Hold respect for nature to swerve away from mass deforestation, unethical agricultural practices, overharvesting for resources, abandonment, and anti-nature policies. Hold empathy for the community to prevent wildfires by human causes, forest fragmentation, pollution, loss of biodiversity and loss of food security.
And shinrin-yoku can be the first step to get us there: a reconnection with the forest. Shinrin-yoku doesn’t only boost our mental and physical health, but also provides an accessible way to learn appreciation for the forest and local culture. It can turn our experiences into personal investments, propelling us to seek the resonance with the forest on the level that our ancestors once did. It’ll be as Ono says, “If humans can live in this rhythm with the forest, we can continue to coexist with nature.”
[Website] Future with Forest Association Homepage[Reference] Japan Shinrin-yoku tour 2024 report (Japanese)
