Japan-born forest experience event “GotoForest! 2026” expands overseas for the first time, held simultaneously in 45 locations across 13 countries

Mori to Mirai, a general incorporated association led by Representative Director Nagisa Ono, held the forest experience event “GotoForest! 2026” around May 4, 2026, Japan’s Greenery Day, across 45 locations in 13 countries worldwide. The initiative was born from a simple idea: walking in forests in each local region on the same day. Developed in Japan over the years, it expanded overseas for the first time in 2026. A total of 1,143 participants around the world spent the day engaging with nature in their own forests and sharing their thoughts. GotoForest! began in 2017 as a small forest bathing event in a forest in Tokyo. In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic restricted travel and gatherings, the initiative evolved from the question of whether people could still connect with nature in nearby forests even if they could not travel far. It became a nationwide activity in which people across Japan walked in forests on the same day. In recent years, Japan-originated “Shinrin-yoku,” or forest bathing, has drawn global attention as an experience that helps people regain their own sense of self and restore mental and physical balance amid social uncertainty and accelerating digitalization. Alongside mindfulness and Zen, it is spreading worldwide as a Japanese culture of calming the mind in nature. Against this backdrop, when Nagisa Ono introduced GotoForest! internationally as a Japan-born initiative, practitioners and organizations in various countries responded with enthusiasm, with many expressing interest in holding it in their own regions. This momentum led to the first international edition in 2026, held simultaneously in 45 locations across 13 countries. The theme for 2026 was “Dialogue.” Programs in each region invited participants not only to communicate through words, but also to listen to the sounds of the forest, the wind, and the presence of trees, sensing their connection with nature while quietly facing themselves and others. Reports from each location are scheduled to be published later on the official GotoForest! website. Event overview: the main date was May 4, 2026, Greenery Day in Japan, with some locations holding events on nearby dates depending on the country. The event took place in 45 locations across 13 countries. Activities included forest bathing, nature experiences, walks, and other forest-related programs, with some indoor rainy-day formats. It was organized by the GotoForest! Secretariat and supervised by Mori to Mirai. In Japan, 27 locations participated across Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kinki, Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Overseas, 18 locations participated across Germany, the Netherlands, Estonia, Poland, Mexico, the United States, Canada, Colombia, Chile, Singapore, Thailand, Nigeria, and South Africa. Organizers in Japan said they were encouraged to feel that people across the country and around the world were heading into forests on the same day, and that they could share the power of local nature and place with participants. Overseas participants also described the event not as separate gatherings, but as a shared moment connected across borders and a global meeting of hearts in nature. GotoForest! is not an event bound by a specific format. It values time spent freely engaging with nature in each region, culture, and forest. The organizers aim for a future in which love for nature spreads beyond national borders and connects gently, like a forest ecosystem. They plan to expand the initiative with more countries and regions in the years ahead. Information for the 2027 event will be released gradually through the official website and social media. Nagisa Ono, Representative Director of Mori to Mirai, said that through forest bathing activities she has spoken with people around the world about their relationships with forests. In forests, there are moments when people naturally open their hearts beyond differences in age, position, and language. Looking at the photos and messages received from around the world this time, she once again felt that the desire to cherish forests is shared across countries, cultures, and borders. As each person’s small step toward the forest overlaps with others, new connections between people and nature, and between people themselves, are born.