Forest Therapy Research Articles

Forest wellness tourism destination branding for supporting disaster mitigation: A case of Batur UNESCO Global Geopark, Bali

Indonesia is a beautiful nation prone to natural disasters. The attractiveness of a place is the potential for its people to prosper through tourism, particularly natural tourism. As part of an effort to preserve nature and safeguard the source of human prosperity, it is necessary to implement disaster mitigation strategies, such as preserving forests to prevent landslides. Disaster mitigation includes increasing community participation and awareness of disaster risk management. Likewise,Batur Geopark, Kintamani, Bali, protected forest areas with caldera and lakes can be utilized with good and sustainable management. This research is a potential branding destination for Batur Geopark as a mental recreation area by adopting the theme “forest bathing”. The formulation of forest bathing as a branding strategy is also an effort to maintain a sustainable forest and optimize the participation of the local community. This research is qualitative with case study method. Data was collected from June to August 2021 by means of field study and desk study in implementing destination branding concepts. The results show that there is potential to create destination branding with the theme Geoforest-Bathing. This branding is expected to be applied to forest-wellness attractions which can provide great benefits for visitors, the local community, and as part of landslide disaster mitigation efforts in the geopark area.

Natural Volatile Organic Compounds (NVOCs) Are Greater and More Diverse in UK Forests Compared with a Public Garden

Forest bathing is based upon a Japanese practice known as Shinrin–Yoku and is a nature-based therapy involving mindful walks through ancient woodland to reduce stress and anxiety. One proposed mechanism behind the effectiveness of Forest bathing is based on the potential mental and physical health benefits of the natural volatile organic compounds (NVOCs) that fill the forest understory. Surprisingly little is known about the concentrations and diversity of plant NVOCs in ambient air particularly in the UK and this study aims to increase that knowledge. Air samples were collected in July 2022 in a UK forest and compared with samples from a walled garden environment. The samples were collected over a 2 h time period and analysed using GC-MS and showed clear differences in the chemical composition of the air. This study revealed NVOCs including limonene, carvone, terpenes, terpenoids and sesquiterpenoids were present within a UK forest but were either not present or present at little to low levels in the control setting of a walled garden. This study also found that the typical 2 h duration of a Forest bathing session was a long enough sampling period to detect these NVOCs, indicating that Forest bathers could benefit from exposure to NVOCs.

Increased relaxation, less boredom, and a faster passage of time during a period of silence in the forest.

There is growing evidence of the beneficial effects of exposure to nature on health and well-being. Time spent in nature can decrease stress, anxiety, depression, and improve mood. In the present study, we compared the experience of a short period of silence in the natural environment of a forest with the same amount of silence in a seminar room. We applied an intra-subject design with two 6:30-min sessions of silence in two different environments (forest, seminar room). The participants (n=41) were assigned to four groups. Two groups started with the indoor condition and two groups with the outdoor condition. After 1 week, the two groups were exposed to the other condition. Participants filled out personality-trait scales on meaning in life and belief in oneness with the world, as well as state scales assessing emotional reactions, relaxation, boredom, and the subjective sense of self, time, and space. Participants felt significantly more relaxed and less bored in the forest compared to indoors. They experienced time less intensely, judging it to pass faster and to last shorter in the forest. Regarding trait variables, the higher the search for meaning, the higher oneness beliefs in participants. The higher oneness beliefs, the more positive participants felt during silence in the forest. Interest in nature-assisted therapy is increasing in the healthcare sector. Exposure to silence in the natural setting of a forest could prove to be an effective complement to interventions applied in nature-assisted therapy, such as forest therapy.

Forest Therapy Programs and Effects: A Systematic Korean Literature Review

Forest Therapy Programs and Effects: A Systematic Korean Literature Review

Psychological and Physiological Health Benefits of a Structured Forest Therapy Program for Children and Adolescents with Mental Health Disorders

Psychological and Physiological Health Benefits of a Structured Forest Therapy Program for Children and Adolescents with Mental Health Disorders

Adjunctive Therapeutic Effects of Forest Bathing Trips on Geriatric Hypertension: Results from an On-Site Experiment in the Cinnamomum camphora Forest Environment in Four Seasons

Forest bathing is receiving increased attention due to its health benefits for humans. However, knowledge is scarce about the adjunctive therapeutic effects of forest bathing in different seasons on geriatric hypertension. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the antihypertensive effects of forest bathing in a Cinnamomum camphora (C. camphora) forest environment in four seasons. One group of participants with geriatric hypertension was sent to a C. camphora forest to experience a 3 day trip, while, as a control, another group was sent to the urban center. The participants’ blood pressure, blood routine, and blood biochemistry were assessed. The profile of the mood states (POMS) of the participants was assessed before and after the experiment. The air quality, atmospheric environment, and content of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at the two experimental sites were monitored during the experiment. This experiment was repeated across four seasons. The advantages of the urban forest groups over the control groups were mainly represented by reductions in diastolic blood pressure (DBP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and heart rate (HR), as well as increased oxygen saturation (SpO2). The antihypertensive effects of forest bathing in the C. camphora forest environment changed with the seasons. Compared with the baseline level, SBP and DBP declined after forest bathing across the whole year, except during winter, whereas SpO2 increased. The effect of forest bathing on lowering blood pressure was particularly pronounced during summer and autumn. The antihypertensive effects of forest bathing in the four seasons were highly consistent with the seasonal dynamics of VOCs and negative air ions (NAIs), which implies that the effect of forest bathing may be attributed to alterations of the atmospheric environment. The antihypertensive effects of C. camphora forest were confirmed in our study, and the results can provide a reference for scheduling bathing trips.

The Journey of the Wounding Heart：Trauma Healing Therapy in the Novel <i>Malika’s Sofa</i> by Yoshimoto Banana

Yoshimoto Banana’s novels are referred to as ‘self-help’ literature. As a result of Yoshimoto’s impactful role in literature, it has the power to be of use in self-healing. One of them is Yoshimoto Banana’s novel which describes the search for meaning within oneself by reconnecting with nature called <i>Marika no Sofa</i> (Malika’s Sofa). This novel tells the story of a female doctor named Junko sensei and Malika, her patient who has many personalities. The symptoms of DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) are shown by Yoshimoto in this novel, and it shows an interesting part that is highlighted how Yoshimoto offers a method of trauma healing by traveling and dialogue. In addition, in this study, the friendship connection and empathy emotion between the therapist and her patient are seen from the <i>imago dialogue</i> approach in Alfred Adler’s therapy. And then, followed by the natural therapy method using green trees approach. The researcher chose to use the concept of <i>shinrin yoku</i> (forest bathing), which is an immersion in the natural surroundings to have a good physiological effect and provide relaxation on the mind and body. Junko sensei and Malika’s trip to Bali can also be interpreted as a desire (motivation) to leave old wounds in the healing stage. Both of them rediscovered something that had been missing in their lives for a long time, it is to feel and live a full life like humans.

The Effects of Forest Therapy on the Blood Pressure and Salivary Cortisol Levels of Urban Residents: A Meta-Analysis.

Urban residents have a higher risk of hypertension and psychological stress than rural residents. Aside from medical interventions, understanding how to control hypertension and alleviate the stress of urban populations has become a public concern. As an alternative medical measure, forest therapy has shown the effects of normalizing blood pressure (BP) and reducing stress increasingly in recent literature, but this is still inconclusive. In order to systematically verify forest therapy’s effects on the BP and mental stress of urban residents, we conducted meta-analyses to assess the changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and salivary cortisol concentration (SCC; a stress biomarker) between the forest therapy group and urban control group. We searched 4 online databases, and 21 studies on BP involving 2270 participants and 13 studies on SCC involving 1786 participants were included. Through the meta-analysis, the mean difference and confidence interval (CI) estimates indicated that forest therapy significantly reduced participants’ SBP −3.44 (95% CI −5.74, −1.14), DBP −3.07 (95% CI −5.59, −0.54), and SCC −0.07 (95% CI −0.10, −0.04), as compared with urban control. Yet, there was substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 72.87−88.59%) among these studies. We also found that each prediction interval (PI) for SBP (95% PI −13.30, 6.42), DBP (95% PI −15.54, 9.41), and SCC (95% PI −0.18, 0.05) were all much wider than the CIs and contained values above 0. This means that forest therapy may reduce SBP, DBP, and SCC on average, but may not exclude adverse results. Meta-regression analyses showed that participants’ age and baseline SBP levels determined the heterogeneity among SBP studies. After forest therapy, older participants and those with higher baseline SBP levels had greater SBP-lowering effects. Among DBP studies, the primary source of heterogeneity was participants’ baseline DBP levels; participants with higher baseline DBP levels had greater DBP reduction. In subgroup analyses, we discovered that longer-term forest therapy programs (≥20 min) resulted in a greater reduction in BP and SCC than shorter-term forest therapy programs (<20 min). Additionally, seated viewing, walking, or multi-session programs in forests were observed to have similar effects on reducing BP and SCC. Despite extensive analyses, the study did not identify any sources of heterogeneity among forest therapy programs for lowering SCC levels. Overall, we conclude that forest therapy programs have beneficial therapeutic effects on urban residents’ physio-psychological health through lowering BP and relieving stress (reducing SCC). This finding provides solid evidence of the contribution of forest therapy to urban residents’ health and wellbeing.

New Perspectives in Psychopathology and Psychological Well-being by Using Forest Therapy: A Systematic Review

Background: Forest therapy is the clinical application of Shinrin-Yoku, also known as forest bathing. Specifically, the term Shinrin-Yoku refers to what is known as “a bath in the air of the forest”, which is carried out by walking and observing the landscapes of nature. In recent years, ecopsychology has become increasingly interested in the use of forest therapy as a credible, eco-sustainable, and easily adaptable treatment. The idea is to borrow the typical techniques of mindfulness and apply them to environmental contexts to verify if this leads to a better physical and mental well-being of the individual. Given the few contexts in which forest therapy is applied, this article aims to investigate, through a review of available literature, the applications of forest therapy existing in various severe or mild disorders in order to understand if this technique can represent a credible alternative to traditional treatments, and consequently arouse the interest of future experimental research in different contexts. Methods: A systematic review was conducted using the PRISMA 2020 guidelines that allowed us to identify n = 7 unique papers to be included in our analysis. Results: Forest therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for improving a range of psychological and physiological parameters in college students, the elderly, women with postmenopausal insomnia, patients with alcoholism syndrome, patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), patients with chronic widespread pain, and psychiatric patients. Conclusion: The analyzed studies are not yet able to tell us if forest therapy is better than traditional treatments. However, the effectiveness demonstrated in the studies provides empirical evidence of the credibility of forest therapy and leads to new scenarios for more eco-sustainable, versatile, affordable, and adaptable therapies according to the needs of the patients.

Forest Therapy for Anxiety

Forest Therapy for Anxiety

Perspectives on the Psychological and Physiological Effects of Forest Therapy: A Systematic Review with a Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression

The effects of urbanization on the health of city dwellers have spurred research on the health-promoting benefits of forest exposure, and potential health-promoting benefits of human-nature relationships. In this meta-analysis, meta-regression, and systematic review, we aimed to analyze how forest-based interventions improved overall well-being through psychological and physiological changes by examining psychological scores and biomarkers. In December 2021, systematic searches were conducted on bibliographic databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane) for studies involving psychological scores and physiological indicators. Data from 17 studies with 1418 participants showed that psychological symptoms (anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue, confusion, vigor), systolic blood pressure (BP), and malondialdehyde levels significantly improved in the forest-exposed group compared to in the nonexposed group, with high heterogeneity (I2 = 66%–93%). Well-being-related psychological symptoms (friendliness, well-being, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, self-esteem) and physiological markers (diastolic BP and cortisol) exhibited better tendencies in the forest-exposed group, with high heterogeneity (I2 = 16%–91%), and meta-regression showed that moderators (age, country group, number of participants, study design, female participation rate, BMI) were significantly associated with forest-related therapeutic effects. In conclusion, forest visits have health-promoting effects that reduce the incidence of stress and lifestyle-related diseases, and are positively associated with psychological and physiological health.

Chemical Composition of Atmospheric Air in Nemoral Scots Pine Forests and Submountainous Beech Forests: The Potential Region for the Introduction of Forest Therapy

Studies show that forests are one of the main recreational destinations. This can be explained by their beneficial effects on the health of their visitors, which can be attributed to compounds from the terpene group. The aim of this research was to determine the chemical composition of air in the interiors of Nemoral Scots pine forests and submountainous beech forests, with the determination of compounds of the terpene group. Samples of organic compounds present in the air were collected with the use of Tenax TA sorbent tubes. The process of separation, identification, and determination of the extracted organic compounds was carried out with the use of the gas chromatography technique integrated with a flame ionization detector. Additional identification of the extracted compounds was carried out with the use of GC coupled with mass spectrometry. The most abundant group of compounds was the aliphatic hydrocarbons, both saturated (linear and branched) and unsaturated (terpenes). Carbonyl compounds were also found in the collected samples, but they constituted no more than 10% of all compounds present on the chromatograms. The concentrations of terpenes and terpenoids in the forest atmosphere varied from 10 to 74 µg·m-3, representing on average 33% of the total volatile organic compounds.

'This Is What the Colour Green Smells Like!': Urban Forest Bathing Improved Adolescent Nature Connection and Wellbeing.

Research suggests that an early connection with nature can benefit wellbeing into adulthood. However, there is less research assessing whether adolescents benefit from formal nature connection interventions such as forest bathing (slow mindful nature walks). This research aimed to assess whether an urban nature connection intervention (called ParkBathe) could improve adolescents' nature connection and wellbeing. In an experimental repeated measures design, 44 adolescents sampled opportunistically from Scouts groups, completed surveys and interviews before and after experiencing an urban nature connection intervention. Paired-samples t-tests between baseline and post-intervention survey scores revealed statistically significant improvements in anxiety (13% reduction); rumination (44% reduction); scepticism (17% reduction); nature connection (25% increase); and social connection (12% increase). The largest effect size was found for nature connection. Interviews revealed that before the session, participants had a mixed understanding and expectations of the intervention. After the session, the participants expressed enjoying the social aspects of being part of a group and being present in the moment by noticing nature. They expressed the effects of this as immediately calming and relaxing. Urban forest bathing improved nature connection and wellbeing in adolescents and could be implemented and/or signposted by schools and youth charities.

Forest digital twin as a relaxation environment: A pilot study

Forest environments have been proven beneficial for physiological well-being, supporting relaxation and meditative processes. Unfortunately, some groups, predominantly those with reduced mobility, are prevented from forest visitation. Presenting such environments in virtual reality could provide a viable substitute. However, as forest structure and composition are important aspects of its restorative power, to accurately compare the efficacy of virtual forests to that of real natural spaces, the virtual environment should match the real location as closely as possible. Furthermore, if participants achieve similar benefits in both settings, virtual copies (digital twins) of forests could be a viable option for studying forest bathing in a controlled environment. We collected LiDAR scans of a forest location near Prague, took spatial audio recordings of the forest ambiance, and built the forest’s digital twin in Unreal Engine. To compare the therapeutic efficacy of the virtual forest with its real counterpart, groups of volunteers spent half an hour in either the real forest, the virtual forest, or both. We collected participants’ demographic and psychometric data, assessing their relaxation, emotional state, and cybersickness before and after the session. Our data show an increase in relaxation with no significant differences between the environments, although participants’ emotional states did not improve in either condition. We found that participants’ experiences were comparable between the environments, but cybersickness limited the potential efficacy of virtual forest bathing. The limitations of the virtual forests as a platform for research into forest bathing are discussed.

Spatial Distribution Characteristics of Japan’s Forest Therapy Bases and Their Influencing Factors

Forest therapy bases are essential ecological recreational locations to promote mental and physical health while at the same time allowing people to enjoy and appreciate the forest. The article took Japan, where the development of forest therapy is in a mature stage, as the research object. Using multi-data and the methodologies of Kernel Density Analysis in ArcGIS and GeoDetector, the spatial distribution characteristics of Japan’s forest therapy bases were investigated, as well as the influencing factors. The results reveal that the spatial distribution of forest therapy bases in Japan is unbalanced, with an aggregated distribution in economically developed and densely populated areas. The spatial density of natural landscape resources, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the spatial density of population, distance from three major metropolitan areas, rail transit ridership, and spatial density of tourism resources are factors influencing the distribution of forest therapy bases in Japan. The factors interact with each other, forming the spatial distribution pattern. Among these factors, GDP has the greatest explanatory power for the spatial distribution of forest therapy bases in Japan, followed by the distance from Japan’s three major metropolitan areas and spatial density of tourism resources, while the spatial density of population, spatial density of natural landscape resources, and rail transit ridership have a relatively weaker influence on forest therapy bases in Japan. The findings provide some insight into the macroscopic layout of forest therapy bases in various regions of different countries, demonstrating that excellent transportation facilities and good natural resources are the fundamental considerations for the location of forest therapy bases and that densely populated urban areas with a strong economic foundation are key areas for the development of forest therapy bases. Additionally, to take advantage of industrial agglomeration and synergize regional development, considerations for merging with existing resources, such as national parks, forest parks, and recreation forests, should be made.

The Feasibility and Impact of Practising Online Forest Bathing to Improve Anxiety, Rumination, Social Connection and Long-COVID Symptoms: A Pilot Study.

Long-COVID affects over 144 million people globally. In the absence of treatments, there is a need to establish the efficacy of therapies that improve patient outcomes. Forest bathing has been demonstrated to improve physical and mental outcomes but there is no evidence in Long-COVID patients. Accordingly, this pilot study sought to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of online forest bathing in adults with Long-COVID. Feasibility was assessed by monitoring retention rates and participant feedback. In a waitlist controlled, repeated measures design, 22 Long-COVID patients completed weekly online surveys during a four-week waitlist control period, before engaging in four weekly online forest bathing sessions, completing post-intervention surveys following each session. In terms of retention, 27% did not provide post-intervention data, reasons for non-adherence were: feeling too ill, having medical appointments, or having career responsibilities. Compared with the waitlist control period, there were statistically significant improvements in Anxiety (49% decrease), Rumination (48% decrease), Social Connection (78% increase), and Long-COVID symptoms (22% decrease). Written qualitative comments indicated that participants experienced feelings of calm and joy, felt more connected socially and with nature, and experienced a break from the pain and rumination surrounding their illness. Online Forest bathing resulted in significant improvements in well-being and symptom severity and could be considered an accessible and inexpensive adjunct therapy for Long-COVID patients. Where people have limited access to in-person nature, virtual nature may offer an alternative to improve health and well-being outcomes.

YENİ BİR DOĞA-TEMELLİ TURİZM: ORMAN BANYOSU (SHİNRİN-YOKU) VE BİR ROTA ÖNERİSİ

Doğa-temelli turizme olan ilgi her geçen gün artmaktadır. Ormanlar, bu turizm çeşidinin gerçekleştirebildiği hem mental hem de fiziksel şifa kaynağı olan alanlardır. Bu çalışmada, Kafkasör Kent Ormanı çalışma alanı seçilerek, yeni bir doğa-temelli turizm çeşidi olabilecek orman banyosu için aktivitelerin belirlenmesi ve rota önerisinde bulunulması amaçlanmıştır. Ayrıca çalışmada anket çalışmasında Kafkasör Kent Ormanında çeşitli aktivitelere katılan bireylerin duygu durumları Pozitif ve Negatif Etki Çizelgesi kullanılarak ölçülmüştür. Çalışmada, yürüyüş, suyla ve bitkilerle temas, yeme-içme, manzara seyri, meditasyon ve oturma-dinlenme etkinliklerinin orman banyosu için uygun etkinlikler olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Bu etkinliklerin gerçekleştirilebileceği alanlar belirlenerek bir rota oluşturulmuştur. Anket çalışmasından elde edilen bulgularda katılımcıların Kafkasör Kent Ormanında aktivitelere katıldıktan sonra negatif duygu durumlarında azalma ve pozitif duygu durumlarında ise artma olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Kent ormanında orman banyosu kapsamında gerçekleştirilebilecek olan atölye çalışmalarına ve ülkemiz için yeni bir kavram olan orman banyosu için yapılması gerekenlere yönelik önerilerde bulunulmuştur. Bu turizm çeşidinin Karadeniz bölgesinde geliştirilerek marka değeri sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir.

Users’ Recognition and Satisfaction of Trails and Exercise Facilities in Urban Mountainous Forests: Focused on Jinju City, South Korea

Background and objective: This study was conducted to analyze users’ behavior, recognition, and satisfaction toward forest trails and exercise facilities in urban mountainous forests, Jinju City, South Korea.Methods: Users’ characteristics, visit motives, and satisfaction with forest trails and exercise facilities in three urban mountainous forests were surveyed from September to October 2020. The data of 300 respondents were analyzed using frequency, descriptive, and regression analysis.Results: There was a high percentage of users aged 51 or older (62.0%). Most users visited regardless of weekdays or weekends, every day or 2-3 times a week, and stayed for 1-2 hours. Most were using the forest trails and outdoor fitness facilities. Hiking or walking showed the highest frequency in visit motives, followed by using outdoor fitness facilities. Overall satisfaction with forest trails was high at 3.74-3.93 on a 5-point Likert scale, which was affected by the landscape and environment of small private arable lands around forest trails and convenient facilities such as handrails and information boards. Overall satisfaction with outdoor fitness facilities was 3.34-3.62, which was affected by harmony with forest landscape and facility maintenance. Overall satisfaction with indoor badminton courts was 3.01-3.08, which was affected by harmony with forest landscape.Conclusion: For improving overall satisfaction, it is crucial to maintain and repair the width and surface of forest trails, but renovating the landscape and environment of small private arable lands and exercise facilities may be more critical. It is desirable to improve and maintain the function and landscape of outdoor fitness facilities and to relocate indoor badminton courts to the outskirts or boundaries of the mountainous forests. To provide various leisure and recreation activities, the creation of a forest bathing place will be first necessary, followed by a family recreation place and outdoor learning classroom.

Geotourism Versus Wellness Tourism or Should We Better Combine Them in Getwell Tourism? A Case Study in Papandayan Compared to Wellness Tourism in Kuningan, West Java, Indonesia

In the geotourism program and destination, as the scope of the meaning of geotourism from the experts, it is possible to have other recreational activities that take advantage of the program and the destination area. Both require the importance of conservation and respect for nature and local values in the destination area. Even in geotourism activities carried out in geopark areas, the other recreation can be in the form of activities that support the 10 main program areas in geoparks, as well as the activities in the context of achieving the “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs). One other recreation that meets these criteria is health tourism. Thus, instead of being contradicted, between geotourism and health tourism it is very possible to be combined and carried out in one agenda simultaneously with complementary each other. This paper examines an experience of combining the application of one part of health tourism with geotourism travel, hereinafter referred to as getwell tourism program. The location of the application of the getwell tourism is the Papandayan area, an important and well-known geotourism destination in West Java. Aspects of site selection are underlined, as well as the determination of the appropriate health tourism program for the location. In the Papandayan geotourism program, health tours are carried out in the form of earthing, forest therapy, pranayama, and soaking in hot springs. The results were evaluated with the wellness program that had been carried out in Kuningan, West Java and the responses from the participants. It was found that the two types of tourism complement each other and some suggestions for improvement. Thus, getwell tourism is not only possible, it can be applied in almost all geotourism and geopark destinations. Health tourism enriches geotourism and vice versa, and both implementations can be combined in the getwell tourism program.

The effects of forest therapy on public mental health and circular economy: A policy support model in Japan.

Forest therapy has gained popularity in Japan and even other nations/regions due to its health benefits. In addition, forest therapy has contributed to the development of circular economy and industrial upgrading. Japanese successful practice can serve as a model for other countries in the Asia-Pacific region. To this end, the aim of this study was to determine whether forest therapy can improve the whole well-being of the participants and has a positive effect on the development of circular economy in the region. Both empirical and inductive research methods were used; empirical approach was conducted to perform comparative analysis of regional data that was retrieved from the research project of Japanese Forestry Agency in 2015. Specifically, the efficacy of forest therapy on physical (blood glucose, blood pressure, body weight) and mental (sleep quality e.g.,) health outcomes among 815 participants was investigated. Regional data are from the statistics of Iiyama City from 1990 to 2005. After the concept of forest therapy became popular in the late 1990s, this element had a great positive impact on the economic benefits of Ishiyama City and other major forest scenic areas. We summarize and analyze a series of policies made by relevant departments of the Japanese government in the years from 2019 to 2021 to promote forest therapy and related circular industry development. Significant (pre-to-post participation) changes in physical measure was observed. Firstly, mean weight of those overweight participants decreased across three different time points (pre-test/enrollment = 79.7 kg, 3-month participation = 77.2, and 6-month participation = 76.8 kg), while overall mean weight of the participants decreased to 61, 60.5, and 60.4 kg, respectively. Secondly, Participant with normal weight showed a decrease on mean HbA1C (from 6.09 to 6.06) at Week 24, while overweight participants demonstrated a slight change 6.03-6.01 after 6 months the average HOMA-IR for overweight participants decreased from 3.5 to 2.5 at Week 24, while participants with normal weight demonstrated a decrease from 2.2 to 1.7 at Week 24. Forest Therapy has emerged in Japan since Mid-1990s and has attracted a large number of tourists all over the world due to its unique health benefits. Forest therapy in Japan has positive effects on whole well-being of Japanese residents and it has helped public mental health promotion and economic growth. Under the guidance and support of government policies, it can promote the development of circular economy and industrial transformation and set a model of Japanese forest therapy development for other countries in the Asia-Pacific region.