forest bathing
/ˈfɒrɪst ˈbeɪðɪŋ/
CommonSlow, mindful time in a forest or wooded area, practiced as stress reduction and nature immersion.
Has genuine research backing from Japan and South Korea. Online it can be used sincerely or as a way to mock the wellness-ification of simply going for a walk in the woods.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | took two hours in the woods with no phone. forest bathing is real and it works | Reporting the mental health benefit of intentional unconnected time in nature. | tiktok, 2024 |
| 02 | forest bathing is absolutely just a walk in the woods and that's exactly why it's good | Defending the simplicity of the practice as a feature, not a criticism. | x, 2023 |
| 03 | my therapist suggested forest bathing and i rolled my eyes but it genuinely helped | Admitting the practice worked despite initial skepticism. | reddit, 2023 |
| 04 | shinrin-yoku aka forest bathing hits different when you understand the japanese framework | Connecting the Japanese cultural practice to the Western wellness rebranding. | tiktok, 2024 |
Use it when
- Describing intentional slow time in a forest as a wellness practice.
- Referencing the Shinrin-yoku tradition by its English name.
- Talking about nature-based mental health practices.
Do not use it when
- You mean a fast hike or athletic trail run.
- You mean just going outside or touching grass casually.Use “grounding” instead.
Forest bathing vs nature therapy
forest bathing
Forest bathing is a specific practice of slow immersive time in wooded environments.
VS
nature-therapy
Nature therapy is the broader clinical and therapeutic framework for using nature in mental health treatment.
Origin and context
Shinrin-yoku was coined by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture in 1982. The English translation 'forest bathing' entered Western wellness vocabulary in the 2010s and accelerated through social media around 2018-2023.
- First seen
- 1982
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/forest-bathingUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0