Healing Properties of Nature

Chinese and Japanese Spiritualists have championed the healing properties of nature for years.  An experiment conducted in 2004 by Japan’s National Land Afforestation Promotion Organization indicated that people who simply looked at a forest for twenty minutes had a lower concentration of stress hormone, cortisol, in their bodies (Source: https://tinyurl.com/ycgvwo26).  Now imagine the benefits of spending entire days in the high alpine on Hokkaido photo tours, not just seeing forests and nature but interacting and photographing it.  Japan photographers happily spend hours in the forests returning refreshed from their expedition to hike while taking photos.  We at Japan Dreamscapes (JDS) know that taking the perfect photograph takes time, yet all the time you spend preparing yourself for the best photo op is time well spent releasing stress.  Not only are you taking once in a lifetime photos on a Hokkaido Tour, but your health is progressively improving as tension leaves your body, enjoying 森林浴 (Shinrin-yoku) or as it is called in the West, Forest Therapy.  Many also only think of forests in their green, lustrous state, but Hokkaido holds approximately 25% of all of Japan’s woodlands, and although the leaves may have fallen before winter, the long trunk and strong branches of the trees have the same healing properties and are homes to many of the Yezo deer or Yezo red foxes that call Hokkaido in winter their home.  Why not capture some of these remarkable landscapes while also replenishing your mind, body, and spirit?