The Choice to Run our Events Outside
We run our anime conventions outdoors because it’s healthy.
Instead of being stuffed inside four walls (where many of us spend the majority of our time anyways), Anime in the Park has made the choice to build our entire infrastructure within the framework of pubic park systems.
This is no easy task, but it’s worth the extra effort.
Not only are we able to revel in the joy of fandom and creativity, but we’re able to do this within a healing environment.
Touching grass is a powerful tool, and this article aims to provide evidence for this claim.
Forest Bathing (Shinrin-yoku)
In Japan, the concept of Forest Bathing (Shinrin-yoku) has been studied to reveal the mental and physical health benefits of simply being in forest environments.
shinrin = forest
yoku = bath
Qing Li and their research team published a 2022 article in the Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine journal, outlining the effects of Forest Bathing on human health, and the history of its research.
They found that Shinrin-yoku has the following benefits, and more:
- Better immune system response
- Protections against cancer
- Reduced blood pressure
- Lower stress and anxiety
- Better quality sleep
- Improved mood
Lucky for those of us who live in cities, their research found that public parks have the same healthy benefits!
These are not just casual observations, but measurable scientific findings that have over 20 years of established research.
In 2004, the Japanese Society of Forest Therapy was established to provide evidence-based research on the numerous health benefits that Forest Bathing provides.
Since then, hundreds of studies have expanded on the connection between forest environments and human health.
The Stress of Technology
Anyone stuck in this modern contraption understands the need to de-stress.
Even back in 1984, the word “technostress” was used to describe unhealthy behavior that results from technology (Li, 2022).
Today’s world of social media and non-stop technology have pulled our society into a frantic state of always connected, but rarely in touch.
Many of us have lost the ability to feel grounded and mindful.
The constant clicking, checking emails, status updates, news cycles, and technological drama have made our world a roller coaster of fast-paced overthinking.
Anime in the Park aims to dilute this oversaturation of bleeps and bloops with a healthy dose of being outside.
Touching grass and breathing fresh air is our medicine.
Plus we get to do this in cosplay with our community!
Forest Medicine
While it’s common knowledge to understand that being in nature is good for you, the concept of Forest Medicine has evolved into a medical science.
In a 2026 study published in Medical Sciences out of Switzerland, we learn that Forest Medicine is a distinct interdisciplinary field.
It pulls from environmental science, preventive medicine, and other areas to understand how our physiological and psychological well-being can be affected by exposure to nature.
Health Benefits
We covered the bullet points in the first section of this article, but here’s a little more detail.
Immune System
One of the biggest health benefits we find is the increase of human natural killer (NK) activity, which are a type of white blood cell that target stressed, infected, and malignant cells in the body, such as viruses and cancer.
Heart Health
Forest bathing can help to reduce heart rate and blood pressure, aiding in the prevention of hypertension and heart disease.
Stress Reduction
Stress hormones like adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol are decreased as we walk in nature.
Nervous System
Our autonomic nervous system is able to stabilize and balance out through the increasing of parasympathetic nerves and reduction of sympathetic nerve activity.
Sleep
Sleep quality improves with exposure to natural forest environments.
Diabetes
Serum adiponectin and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels increase with Shinrin-yoku.
Mood
Anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue and confusion scores decrease in the Profile of Mood States (POMS) test, showing that forest bathing could help combat depression.
Biological messengers such as serotonin (the “happiness” chemical) and cortisol (stress hormone) are affected by the outdoors as well.
A 2025 study published in Frontiers in Public Health found that serotonin levels increased with forest bathing, leading to feelings of happiness.
Cortisol levels of forest bathers were much lower than the control group, according to a 2019 study published in the International Journal of Biometeorology.
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation medicine can benefit from forest bathing as well.
More
There’s a number of benefits that Forest Bathing can provide.
Read the reference articles for the full science!
Sensory Factors
Being in nature involves the five senses.
Outdoors, we are able to enjoy the sights of our environment, listen to the natural sounds, touch organic elements, and taste/smell the fresh air.
The smell of fresh air is more than just an old adage.
Research shows that breathing in airborne antimicrobial compounds from trees (phytoncides) acts like aromatherapy.
Phytoncides include volatile monoterpenes and essential-oil constituents such as α-pinene, 1,8-cineole, d-limonene, and complex mixtures derived from Chamaecyparis (hinoki), Thujopsis dolabrata (hiba), and Cryptomeria japonica (sugi) stem oils.
Studies performed in controlled environments found that exposure to these phytoncides in non-forest environments have comparable benefits.
Fire up those diffusers in the office and home!
Come out to Anime in the Park for the real deal.
Conclusion
Forest bathing improves health.
It can boost our immune system, regular blood pressure and cardiovascular activity, lower blood pressure, and decrease the feelings of anxiety, depression, and fatigue.
Shinrin-yoku improves our mood and helps us find better sleep quality.
Spending time outside with our community is a powerful armor we can wear against the modern pitfalls of technology and isolation.
Anime in the Park aims to preserve and expand the philosophy of Forest Medicine as we continue to run our events in public parks.
We hope that it inspires peace and health within our community.
Share this article to spread the word!
References
Antonelli, M., Barbieri, G., & Donelli, D. (2019). Effects of forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) on levels of cortisol as a stress biomarker: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International journal of biometeorology, 63(8), 1117–1134. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-019-01717-x
Bandyopadhyay, A., Shah, S., & Roviello, G. N. (2026). Forest Bathing (Shinrin-yoku) and Preventive Medicine: Immune Modulation, Stress Regulation, Neurocognitive Resilience, and Neurological Health. Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 14(1), 95. https://doi.org/10.3390/medsci14010095
Chen, H., Meng, Z., & Luo, J. (2025). Is forest bathing a panacea for mental health problems? A narrative review. Frontiers in public health, 13, 1454992. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1454992
Li Q. (2022). Effects of forest environment (Shinrin-yoku/Forest bathing) on health promotion and disease prevention -the Establishment of “Forest Medicine”. Environmental health and preventive medicine, 27, 43. https://doi.org/10.1265/ehpm.22-00160
