Creating a stress-free society through the healing power of nature

The mission of the NPO itswellness is “to create a society where everyone can experience their own happiness. Behind the setting of this mission is the high-speed pace of society and work that leaves little time for breathing, the ongoing division of values around the world, and the prevalence of negative stresses such as tension and anger.

For example, in Japan, about 60% of Japanese businesspeople are still unimproved from the stress that has persisted since the 1990s. Around 17,000 companies have established a “health management” system, which has been promoted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry since 2015. The remaining 1.76 million companies are still in the process of establishing such system, as are the self-employed and freelancers.

As we enter the “100-year life period,” in which people will continue to work for 50 or 60 years, businesspeople living in an advanced technological society that requires constant improvement and relearning of skills, just have to better control their stress.

On a personal note, I have experienced that because of leaving a strong work-related stress unattended, I became ill, and it took me a long time to recover.

In the process, I encountered forest bathing* and was healed by the healing power of nature (phytoncide emitted by trees, negative ions, 1/f fluctuation, etc.) and regained my physical and mental health. At the same time, I learned what it means to live (not just work, nor just self-gratification) and what it means to be happy.

These experiences have led me to seek a stress-free work, workplace, relationship and community. One of the solutions was self-care in nature, which led me to start a wellness tour business that includes forest bathing.

Now, I am pleased that the healing power of nature is always with me, and when I am in the forest, I always feel safe and secured, surrounded by very calm and clean atmosphere.

If you have such feelings, why don’t you join our urban forest tours?

• Somehow you always feel annoyed
• You feel tired and heavy
• You feel anxious or lost
• You want to relax
• You want to feel loosened from the core of your body

When I talk to businesspeople about forest bathing, I often hear the answer, “I’m too busy to go to the park (much less the forest). However, as I recovered from my mental breakdown thanks to the effect of forest bathing, I would like to encourage busy people to go to the forest.

Having a relaxing time in the forest or a city park will give you a feeling of relaxation, peace of mind, and looseness that you would not feel in your daily life.

And by experiencing this slower time, you become aware of your own stress condition and can eliminate stress before it builds up too much, starting a virtuous cycle of self-transformation.

Even if we live in a society 100 years from now, stressors will probably not disappear from this world.
However, I have always believed that each of us can lighten or mitigate stress conditions by becoming more in control of our stress.
We would like to bring you a relaxing forest time in the middle of the city, hoping that the day will come when all working people can feel happiness without stress.

What is Forest Bathing?

“Forest Bathing”, also known as “Shinrin-yoku,” is a concept that originated in Japan. It is the act of spending time in parks, gardens and forests while engaging all your five senses to relax and recharge.