In 2025, social media, especially TikTok, has lit up with videos of serene, wooded retreats, as younger globetrotters seek out nature, calm, and mindfulness on their journeys.
The concept is simple: immerse yourself in a forest environment, disconnect from distractions, and soak in the tranquility of the trees.
What began as a quiet practice in Japan decades ago is now a booming nature wellness travel movement spreading from Asia to the rest of the globe.
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What Is Shinrin-yoku (Forest Bathing)?
Shinrin-yoku (森林浴), which translates to “forest bathing,” does not involve water at all. Instead, it’s an intentional, slow walk through the woods aimed at reducing stress and boosting wellbeing.
Participants are encouraged to engage all five senses – listen to the rustling leaves, observe the play of light and shadow, feel the bark of a tree, inhale the mossy air – as a form of mindfulness in nature. “It’s about slowing down… connecting to nature with all your senses. The key things are to find a place where you can spend some time uninterrupted, and then notice the things that are around you,” explains Mark Ellison, a forest therapy guide, describing the essence of forest bathing.
Developed as a formal practice in Japan in the 1980s (supported by the government as a public health initiative), Shinrin-yoku drew on much older Shinto and Buddhist traditions of revering nature.
Japanese parks and forests soon incorporated therapeutic walking trails, and scientists began studying its health effects. Research has shown that spending time immersed in a forest can measurably reduce the body’s stress markers – lowering cortisol levels, pulse rate and blood pressure – while improving mood and focus.
These proven mental and physiological benefits have helped transform forest bathing from a cultural curiosity into a globally respected wellness practice.
How TikTok Turned Forest Bathing into a Travel Trend
In recent years, forest therapy has exploded on social media, fueling its rise as a must-try experience for travelers. TikTok, in particular, has given Shinrin-yoku a second life online: videos tagged #ForestBathing have garnered tens of millions of views, showing users swapping hectic city vlogs for calming clips of sun-dappled woods.
In these short videos, travelers stroll quietly under green canopies, run their hands along mossy trunks, and breathe deeply in sync with nature’s rhythm. The soothing, visual appeal of these posts has turned an ancient practice into a viral phenomenon, reframing forest bathing as an accessible and trendy activity for a digital generation.
Platforms like Instagram and Pinterest have amplified the trend’s reach as well. Travelers share photos of themselves “bathing” in forests with captions about finding peace off-grid, often using the hashtag #forestbathing.
According to travel reports, Pinterest saw searches for “quiet places” and “calm places” jump by 50% and 42%, respectively, since 2024 – a sign that social media users are actively hunting for serene, nature-centric experiences.
In an era of information overload, the simplicity of forest bathing – which requires no special equipment or extreme fitness, just a willingness to unplug in nature – makes it highly shareable and appealing online.
TikTok travel trends often skew toward adrenaline or spectacle, but the viral success of Shinrin-yoku content suggests a craving for authenticity and calm amid the noise.
Post-Pandemic Wellness Travel and the Nature Cure
The surging interest in forest bathing is part of a broader post-pandemic boom in wellness travel. After years of lockdowns and stress, travelers are prioritizing trips that rejuvenate the mind and body rather than just checking off tourist attractions.
Industry data shows that the global wellness tourism sector not only rebounded but exceeded its pre-2020 levels, highlighting a pent-up demand for health-oriented vacations.
Many people have come to view nature as medicine – a way to recover from digital burnout and pandemic anxiety. “Travelers seek fresh air and open spaces, making nature a focal point for rejuvenation,” notes a 2023 wellness travel trends report. Outdoor activities, national parks, and meditative retreats in nature have all seen a spike in popularity as travelers look to de-stress amid greenery.
In this context, Shinrin-yoku perfectly embodies what many tourists now seek: mental health-oriented experiences that are restorative, authentic, and grounded in local culture.
It offers a potent antidote to modern life’s strains – something especially valued after COVID-19 highlighted the importance of mental wellness. “Audiences overwhelmed by stress and digital overload are drawn to practices promising calm, grounding, and mental clarity,” observes one analysis of the forest bathing trend.
Unlike wellness fads that require expensive gear or instruction, forest bathing is accessible (anyone can walk in a park) yet deeply effective, which gives it broad appeal.
The practice dovetails with the “slow travel” movement as well, inviting people to linger longer in one place and engage deeply with their surroundings rather than racing through a crowded itinerary.
The Forest Bathing Boom
Seeing the rising interest, the travel industry has begun to weave forest bathing into itineraries and offerings worldwide. Forward-thinking resorts, tour operators, and even universities are introducing guided forest therapy sessions to attract wellness-focused travelers.
In the United States, for example, wellness resorts from California’s redwood-rich Muir Woods to Maine’s coastal woodlands now offer guided Shinrin-yoku walks led by certified nature therapy guides. Some programs end with yoga or tea ceremonies in the forest, blending luxury with simplicity.
In Colorado, one enthusiast launched “Above The Clouds Forest Bathing,” hosting by-donation walks in local parks to make the experience available to all. Even college campuses like Penn State University have organized forest bathing sessions for students and faculty, recognizing the need for quiet respite in high-stress academic environments.
Internationally, tourism boards are leveraging forest bathing to shine a spotlight on underrated natural areas. Nowhere is this more evident than in Japan, where the practice originated.
Many overseas visitors used to skip Japan’s rural interiors in favor of Tokyo and Kyoto, but today travelers are venturing into remote forests to seek an “authentic” Shinrin-yoku experience at the source. Japan’s national tourism board has promoted this as a form of “rural tourism,” encouraging visits to peaceful mountain woods, ancient cedar groves, and healing hot spring forests far from the urban hustle.
This trend opens up new opportunities for destinations to showcase undervalued natural areas – from lesser-known national parks in the U.S. to community forests in Europe or Asia – as ideal spots for mindful nature retreats.
A quiet county park or secluded valley can suddenly become a tourist draw for wellness seekers, given the right marketing and infrastructure (think marked forest therapy trails or local guides trained in mindfulness).
Crucially, the forest bathing craze also highlights a shift in what travelers define as “luxury.” Increasingly, luxury travel is less about opulence and more about exclusive access to tranquility. A private guided walk among towering pines or a silent meditation by a waterfall can be more memorable than any five-star hotel amenity.
As one travel writer put it, calm and stillness have become a commodity in today’s fast-paced world – and destinations that can offer that calm stand to benefit. From Japan’s misty forests to the fern-covered trails of New Zealand and the Blue Ridge Mountains of Appalachia, nature-immersive itineraries are the new high-value travel experiences.
Seeking Calm and Connection
The rise of forest bathing as a global travel trend underscores a profound cultural moment: travelers are seeking deeper connections with nature and themselves.
This trend’s popularity on TikTok may seem paradoxical – an ancient, unplugged ritual thriving on ultramodern social media – but it speaks to a genuine need. After years of being glued to screens and rushing through itineraries, people are longing to slow down and be present.
A simple walk in the woods, practiced with mindfulness, has struck a chord across generations and continents.
Ultimately, the forest bathing movement in 2025 reflects how travel is evolving in the wellness era. It’s no longer just about ticking off landmarks or indulging in luxury for its own sake; it’s about restoration, meaning, and reconnection.
Whether it’s a day hike in a local woodland or a dedicated Shinrin-yoku retreat in a Japanese forest, travelers are embracing the idea that the journey inward can be just as fulfilling as the journey outward.
And as long as our digital lives remain noisy, the urge to find calm under the trees – one TikTok video and one forest path at a time – is a trend that shows no sign of slowing down.