Forest bathing - what on earth is forest bathing? It's the Japanese practice of spending time in forests and woods.

I have always found being in and around forests and woodland areas calming and peaceful - and now I understand why.

I love the idea of bringing the forest indoors, by using certain essential oils, flowers, and bonsai trees. I will certainly be trying these!

Unfortunately, I was unable to read this book because it was not formatted correctly. I tried to add it to my Kindle and it was a garbled mess. However, the concept was really appealing, and I enjoyed the first few pages I was able to get through.

Nature heals, and author Miyazaki demonstrates how an accessible resource enables us to find wholeness in the natural world. Shinrin Yoku points to an outward process of becoming immersed in the sensations brought by nature in the tradition of Soto Zen, “being in the moment.” It is active meditation, and instead of emphasizing an inward approach, the author shows how the power of the forest environment reduces stress and the physical repercussions it imposes. This work includes stunning photography, presented with contemplative quotes and informative pieces on the traditions and aesthetics of numerous cultures.

The concept at the heart of this book is definitely one I subscribe to - the healing power, calmness and mindfulness that you can get from being in the forest and absorbing the fresh air. Living in California, I love walking in the redwood forests for exactly these reasons.
That said, making a lengthy book out of the practice is a stretch - to be honest, this could have been a pamphlet. As a result, this feels overlong and containing a lot of padding.
Great concept, beautiful images, overdid it on the text.

Headed into fall this makes me long for when the trees had leaves! An tree bathing is an activity that I am much more interested in exploring thanks to this book. Easy enough for the average reader and newbie like me to understand.

Reading this book is a meditation in itself. The photography is beautiful and an integral part of the experience.

Such a peaceful read. The message of communing with trees and nature comes through clearly and he photographs add so much to the mood created while reading the book!

Beautiful book. It educates on the benefits of "forest bathing" while the photos provide just a taste of the experience and remind us of the importance of nature in our busy modern lives.

First, I’d like to say that I absolutely loved this book! It is one of my top three books so far this year. I have been telling everyone who will listen about the things I learned in this book. (I’ve probably annoyed a few people doing it too, but it’s so worth the read!)

What is Shinrin Yoku? It is the art of forest bathing. By bathing, it does not mean getting into water. It means immersing oneself in the experience of being in a forest. It can be for 20 minutes or two hours, but the idea is to get out there in nature. The author is a researcher who has studied the effects of this practice on many people, from stressed-out office workers, to city dwellers, etc. His results are astonishing, but probably not too surprising to those who spend a lot of time in nature.

The benefits are enormous. Lowered stress hormones, improvement in mood, enhanced creativity, lower blood pressure, more energy, improvement of the immune system, better sleep, and more.

The photos throughout the book are fantastic. So beautiful and relaxing! You will want to visit those places. Very appealing artwork!

Studies are shown in the book, along with details of the results. The researchers have published many scientific papers on this subject. Research is supported by the government in Japan too. It is important research and one can hope that the American government would follow this example and fund more research into the benefits of forest and nature therapy.

For those who have no access to a forest, other options are given. Such as growing bonsai or using essential oils. Essential oils mimic the effects of the natural terpenes you would find in a forest. In Japan, many of the trees give off these terpenes and these have been shown by research to help people relax and experience these benefits. But, you don’t need to travel to Japan to experience these benefits. There are many amazing forests in Japan, but there are natural areas all over the world too. Some of the forest therapy places in Japan are documented in the book, should you desire to go visit them. They look beautiful and the photos help the reader see these places.

Other books have written about the effects of nature therapy (Louv’s Last Child in the Woods, and F. Williams’ The Nature Fix come to mind), but this is the first book I’ve read that was written by one of the actual researchers who has studied this firsthand. I enjoyed seeing the actual studies and the results that they documented. They studied a variety of citizens to see if the effects are the same across the board and they seemed to be. Having spent a lot of time in nature myself, I can attest that these techniques really work.

If you want to learn more about how to get these benefits, read this book! I can’t recommend it enough. If more of us would go out in nature and use the methods described here, our overall health would improve, our stress levels would drop and we’d be better off as a whole. I encourage you to try it. You won’t regret it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Timber Press for the opportunity to read and review Shinrin Yoku: The Japanese Art of Forest Bathing by Yoshifumi Miyazaki. This book is meant for reducing stress and the title alone relaxes me. Shinrin-yoku, nature therapy and forest therapy both embody “Japan’s Relationship with Nature”. Effects of nature on stress relief and the body are discussed with beautiful photographs interspersed between the scientific information. Information is even given for when getting outdoors to relax isn’t a possibility; tips and tricks that make you feel like you’re really out in nature can be convincing enough to relief stress. A wonderful guide to nature therapy relieves stress just by reading it, 4 stars!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The pictures in this were gorgeous. Anyone who has an appreciation for nature would especially enjoy this book. While it might not be a hobby that I would pursue, I think others may really enjoy this book.

I love this type of books! The concept spoke straight to my soul and I found myself nodding so many times while reading. I do believe nature is healing and we should spend more time surrounded by trees who have the power to reduce the stress and anxiety in our lives.

A lovely little introduction to shinrin yoku, with absolutely gorgeous pictures throughout. I loved learning about the basics around forest-bathing research, and about a few other aspects, but after reading found myself feeling like the book had an extremely light touch - I felt like it didn't really explain things completely, and that the author's presence was barely there, even when he was talking about how he got into the research in the first place. Still a gorgeous book, but not immersive or expansive on its topic.

Lovely pictures of trees, but for some reason I'd anticipated a more detailed read. The studies were informative, but I thought there would be something more than the simple fact that walking through a forested area can potentially lower blood pressure. It was light and lovely, but I really thought there would be more substance to a lifestyle choice that primes nature therapy as a viable preventative measure to diseases of the body and mind.

I've. always felt more centred in nature and this book really explains why. It also gives ways that a person can "recharge" during short breaks during the day. Throughly enjoyed this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this delightful book. I always enjoy reading about the link between health and nature. There are so many simple concepts we can do to help us with stress, our health, etc and this book lays them out for us and explains the science behind them. The pictures are absolutely stunning and definitely make me want to go find a park ASAP. I enjoyed that even ideas provided to help people who may live in the city to bring more pieces of nature into their home. Thank you to Netgalley and Timber Press publishing for an ARC copy in exchange for a review.

This wasn't quite what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised with this beautiful book. I think it will very much appeal to readers of non-American lifestyle/self-help books like "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" and "The Little Book of Hygge," since it captures that warm simplicity that we're missing so much in American culture. I liked that the book not only listed places where you can go to get these experiences in Japan, but also had exercises and practices that you could bring into your own life without having to leave the comfort of your city, or even your house.

I have always been interested in the link between health and nature. This book goes into some of the science and some of the scientists trying to show how being in or around nature can yield positive health benefits.

The book was interesting, though slightly repetitive. My favorite part of the book was the absolutely gorgeous pictures of nature. I wonder if seeing pictures of nature can still yield health benefits? I know I felt more relaxed when looking at the pictures! Though in eBook format, the pictures were sometimes split between screens, which wasn't ideal.

This book definitely makes me want to go to Japan and go to one of the nature programs they have for shinrin yoku. Japan is beautiful!

I would recommend this book if you are interested in health, nature and bio-science. 3 solid stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and Timber Press for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

I love this book. It is simple concept that can make great changes in your life. For me it explains why I love tropical island more than cities and suburban life. The photos are beautiful. I recommend this book wholeheartedly. You will not regret reading it.

A potent and thought-provoking look at this burgeoning therapy, as well as an excellent exploration of what it means to be a modern, city dwelling human being.