Discovering Shinrin Yoku: The Japanese Art and Science of Forest Bathing

In Japan, the art of forest bathing (shinrin yoku) encourages regular communion with nature through active engagement of the senses. The concept was proposed in 1982 by the Japanese Forest Agency to improve the well-being of Japanese citizens and conservation of forests. Notre Dame’s Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies and the Japanese Program in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures bring Charo D’Etcheverry, Japanese literature professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, to Love Creek Nature Center in Berrien Center, Michigan, for a public talk and forest bathing experience.

_{“Indoors, we tend to use only two senses, our eyes and our ears. Outside is where we can smell the flowers, taste the fresh air, look at the changing colours of the trees, hear the birds singing and feel the breeze on our skin. And when we open up our senses, we begin to connect to the natural world.”}

_{-Qing Li, Shinrin-Yoku: The Art and Science of Forest Bathing}

Credits

Charo D’Etcheverry

Charo D’Etcheverry is a professor of classical Japanese literature at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. D’Etcheverry is also a trained forest bathing guide and member of the Board of Directors of the Shinrin Yoku Association. Her credentials in classical Japanese literature provide a rich foundation for exploring the historical antecedents and understanding the traditional and cultural influences that underpin shinrin yoku.

Notre Dame's Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies

The Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, part of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame, supports education, research, and outreach about Asia and its diaspora through degree programs, funding initiatives, public events, and reciprocal engagement with partners in Asia.

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Funding & Support

This is a partner program of the 2027 Notre Dame Arts Biennial, supported with funding from the Notre Dame Arts Initiative.

This project is also made possible with funding from the University of Notre Dame’s Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies and is cosponsored by the Japanese Program in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at Notre Dame. Venue and staffing support are provided by Love Creek Nature Center.