Nowadays, “nature healing” has become a familiar choice for travel destinations, whether with friends, family, or a partner. While some use it as an excuse for a vacation, others cite reasons like “healing,” “seeking fresh air,” or “finding peace.” But does traveling to nature truly promote healing? And what is the psychological explanation behind it?
A small survey conducted through social media found that 87.3% of respondents chose nature as a place for healing and calming the mind over the city. Some of them explained that going to nature can make them feel calmer, refreshed, and mentally lighter, whether through fresh air, greenery, or wide-open scenes. Hence, a few of them described nature as a space for reflection, contemplation, gratitude, and escaping the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Shinrin-Yoku: Nature Therapy from Japan
There is actually a theory from Japan called shinrin yoku, or “forest bathing” in English. In Japanese, Shinrin means ‘forest’ and Yoku means “to bathe,” so Shinrin-yoku can be interpreted as “bathing in the forest atmosphere.” However, this doesn’t mean you have to actually bathe in a river or go on a strenuous trek. The essence of Shinrin-yoku is to let yourself be immersed in the forest atmosphere walking slowly, breathing in the fresh air, observing the sunlight filtering through leaves, and enjoying every sensation through the five senses.
Simply put, Shinrin-yoku is a form of nature therapy that helps the body and mind relax by enjoying the forest atmosphere through the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste, while keeping the mind focused and calm. This activity is usually done for about two hours in a natural environment to provide restorative effects, including helping to relieve academic stress and other emotional pressures.
In several countries, forest bathing has even become a recognized therapeutic practice recommended for both psychological and physiological well-being. Studies have shown that this simple activity has been proven to lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety, and improve mood.
Read More: How Music Can Reduce Fear And Anxiety
Multisensory Experience
From a perceptual point of view, Shinrin-yoku is interesting because it involves multisensory perception, where our brains process various stimuli from the five senses simultaneously to form a complete and calming experience.
When walking around in the forest, the eyes capture the green color of the leaves, the shape of the tree trunks, and the light shining through the branches. This visual information is processed through Gestalt principles such as figure-ground, similarity, and continuity, so that natural patterns are recognized as something orderly and calming. At the same time, ears process the sounds of nature birdsong, the trickling of water, or the blowing of the wind through auditory perception, where the brain distinguishes the main sounds from background noise so that we can focus on the most dominant rhythms of nature.
The smell-sense also plays a big role through the aroma of wet soil, leaves, and tree resin; natural compounds such as phytoncides are perceived as safe and pleasant scents, thereby reducing the stress hormone cortisol and evoking a sense of peace. From a tactile perspective, the touch of bark, leaves, or the breeze is processed through haptic perception, helping the body feel more “grounded” and connected to the environment. Even when someone tastes herbal tea or natural water from the forest, the brain combines information from taste and smell into flavor perception, creating a soft and soothing taste sensation. All these stimuli are integrated by the brain into a single multisensory experience that makes Shinrin-yoku effective in relaxing the mind and body.
Read More: Feeling Stuck? Here’s How Time In Nature Powers Your Creativity
Why does nature calm the mind?
In terms of perception theory, Shinrin-yoku is a clear example of an integrated multisensory experience. All five senses work together to form a comprehensive perception of “tranquility.” When the brain interprets the forest environment as safe and peaceful, the autonomic nervous system switches to relaxation mode, slowing the heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and stabilizing breathing.
This phenomenon is also known as soft fascination a state where our attention is gently absorbed by nature without feeling burdened. We felt “enchanted,” in calm. This is why Shinrin-yoku is often called an antidote to modern-day stress, deadlines, and endless routines.
The Healing Trend Among Young People
Currently, natural tourist destinations are trending in Indonesia, with many young people in Bandung vacationing at Taman Hutan Raya, Ciwidey, or Pangalengan (±170 km from Jakarta). Taman Hutan Raya offers trekking trails among the trees that activate various senses, from sight with the green colors of the trees, hearing with the rustling of leaves, to smell with the aroma of the soil and trees.
In Ciwidey, there is the Ranca Upas tourist spot, which provides a multisensory experience through green scenery, cool air, and warm baths that stimulate the sense of touch. Then in Pangalengan, there is Sunrise Point Cukul, which offers a panoramic view of tea gardens and a visually striking sunrise. This findings turns out that spending time in nature is not only good for Instagram Stories, but also brings good effects for physical and mental health.
Benefits and Practices of Forest Healing
From those explanations, it can be concluded that Shinrin-Yoku is a multisensory interaction with nature that can boost the immune system, regulate mood, and reduce anxiety and depression across various age groups. We can do simple activities such as walking in a forest area in the morning or evening while activating all our senses, such as enjoying the green scenery, listening to the rustling of the wind, smelling the scent of leaves, and feeling the soil or grass under our feet. If you live in an urban environment, you can occasionally visit a forest park. We can also gather with friends, family, or partners to join us in this activity. It’s not only for taking memories, but also for experiencing nature with our senses.
This also in line with what was conveyed by Prof. Qing Li—a leading expert on forest bathing and President of the Japanese Society of Forest Medicine —who emphasized the importance of engaging all five senses when enjoying nature in his message on October 31, 2025:
“Since 2004, I have been researching the health-promoting and disease-preventing effects of forest bathing. My research shows that forest bathing reduces stress, blood pressure, and heart rate, enhances immune function, improves sleep, alleviates depressive symptoms, and has preventative effects against conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, depression, sleep disorders, cancers and COPD. I encourage you to enjoy forest bathing by engaging all five of your senses (sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste). From a feeling to a science is a key phrase to understand the background of forest bathing/shinrin-yoku. Let’s go forest bathing to get happiness!”
This article was collaboratively written and represents the collective discussions of Shinta Mustika, Tiara Ditha Puspita, Tasya Berlian Cittra Friyanti, and Prof. Willis Srisayekti. All contributors are affiliated with the Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Padjadjaran, Master of Psychology Program.
Reference:
- Hansen, M. M., Jones, R., & Tocchini, K. (2017). Shinrin-yoku (Forest bathing) and nature therapy: A state-of-the-art review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (Vol. 14, Nomor 8). MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14080851
- Li, Q., Takayama, N., Katsumata, M., Takayama, H., Kimura, Y., Kumeda, S., Miura, T., Ichimiya, T., Tan, R., Shimomura, H., Tateno, A., Kitagawa, T., Aoyagi, Y., & Imai, M. (2024). Effects Of Forest Bathing (Shinrin-Yoku) In Female Subjects With Depression/Depressive Tendencies. Environmental Health And Preventive Medicine, 29(1)
- Li, Q., Ochiai, H., Ochiai, T., Takayama, N., Kumeda, S., Miura, T., Aoyagi, Y., & Imai, M. (2022). Effects Of Forest Bathing (Shinrin-Yoku) On Serotonin In Serum, Depressive Symptoms And Subjective Sleep Quality In Middle-Aged Males. Environmental Health And Preventive Medicine, 27, 28. Https://Doi.Org/10.1265/Ehpm.22-028
- Markwell, N., & Gladwin, T. E. (2020). Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) Reduces Stress And Increases People’s Positive Affect And Well-Being In Comparison With Its Digital Counterpart. Ecopsychology, 12(4), 247–256. Https://Doi.Org/10.1089/Eco.2020.0003
- Park, B. J., Tsunetsugu, Y., Kasetani, T., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2010). The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing): Evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 15(1), 18–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12199-009-0086-9
- Psychology Today. (2023). forest bathing. psychology today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/forest-bathing
Leave a Comment