Forest bathing: a practical guide to shinrin-yoku

Forest bathing is the practice of spending slow, unhurried time in a forest and paying close attention to it with all your senses. There is no destination, no distance to cover and no workout. The term comes from the Japanese shinrin-yoku, literally “taking in the forest atmosphere”, which was promoted in Japan from the 1980s as a way to encourage people to visit forests for their wellbeing.

What forest bathing is, and what it is not

Forest bathing is closer to mindfulness than to hiking. You walk very slowly, stop often and notice what you see, hear, smell and feel. It is not a sport, not a survival exercise and not an esoteric ritual. You do not need to hug trees, unless you want to.

It is also not a cure. The appeal is simple: a forest is calm, varied and full of small details, and giving it your full attention for a while can help you switch off.

What the research says

Interest in forest bathing has led to many studies, mainly in Japan, South Korea and China, and increasingly in Europe. Results are encouraging but limited:

• Several studies report lower self-reported stress and better mood after time in a forest compared with time in a city.
• A 2017 systematic review and meta-analysis of twenty trials found that blood pressure was lower in forest environments than in non-forest settings, but rated the quality of the included studies as weak, with a high risk of bias (review on PubMed Central).
• Effects on the immune system, often cited in popular articles, are based on a small number of studies and should be treated with caution.

In short: it is reasonable to say forest bathing can help people relax. It is not reasonable to say it treats illness. If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor.

How to do it: a simple session

You can follow this outline on your own, in about two hours:

1. Arrive and switch off. Put your phone in flight mode. Stand still at the forest edge for a minute and take a few slow breaths.
2. Walk slowly. Move at half your normal pace or slower. There is no need to reach a particular point.
3. Use one sense at a time. Listen for five minutes: birds, wind, your own steps. Then look closely at textures and colours. Then smell: soil, resin, damp leaves.
4. Find a sit spot. Sit on a mat or a fallen log for 15 to 20 minutes and simply watch what happens around you.
5. Touch. Feel bark, moss, water or the ground under your hands.
6. Close slowly. Before leaving, take a moment to notice how you feel compared with when you arrived. Some people end with tea from a flask.

Small exercises

• Count the different shades of green you can see.
• Follow a single sound until it fades.
• Look for signs of animals: tracks, feeding marks, feathers.
• Lie on your back and watch the canopy move.

Choosing a forest

Any quiet wood works, but some forests make it easier. Places with old trees, dead wood, varied ages and plenty of birdsong offer more to notice. Our guide on how to recognise an old-growth forest explains what to look for. National parks with large, unmanaged areas, such as the Bavarian Forest National Park, are ideal for a longer visit, though popular trails can be busy at weekends.

For a quieter experience:

• Go early in the morning or on a weekday.
• Choose a path away from car parks and viewpoints.
• Avoid forestry work and hunting days where signs indicate them.

What to bring

Very little: weather-appropriate clothing, a sit mat, water, perhaps a flask of tea. In tick areas, wear long trousers and check yourself afterwards; our guide to staying safe in remote forests covers ticks and other risks.

Respect the forest

Slow, quiet visitors are usually the least disruptive, but the basics still apply: stay on paths in protected areas, do not pick plants in nature reserves, and take everything home. The principles in our leave no trace guide work just as well for a short session as for a week in the wilderness.

Making it a habit

The effect people describe is strongest when forest time becomes routine. A short weekly walk in a local wood can be just as valuable as a trip to a famous forest. If you want to go further, a few nights in a remote forest cabin give you mornings and evenings in the forest without travel in between.