autumn leaves falling
spilling rain from cloudy skies
goodbye summer sets
Since I could never be Japanese, despite being born and raised in Tokyo, the urban forests that surrounded me throughout my childhood are my only truth that Japan is home. When my father passed, we had to move out of the house that we called our home. I realized that I would no longer return home, except as a foreigner, an outsider, or a visitor with a tourist visa. The alienation of my roots could only be preserved by the memory of my lived experience.
There are 48 or more designated forest therapy trails in Japan. Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing), a term coined in Japan around 1982, is an accepted form of preventative medicine. It was inspired by the ancient Shinto and Buddhist practices of letting nature enter the body through all senses. It has been proven that spending time in green spaces have correlations with improved mood, stress and blood pressure reduction, increased energy, better sleep, increased concentration, and increases in the body’s immune cells. With escalating urbanization and use of technology, internationally we are investigating the potential health benefits of spending time in nature. There are several hospitals, shrines, and hospitality spaces with gardens on rooftops and simulated nature spaces that aid in healing from the strains of city life on its people.
Jackson Park in Chicago, IL is home to an estimated 160 cherry blossom trees. They don’t all bloom each spring, but it’s quite a picturesque scene. You can track the development of these cherry blossoms based on updates posted on the Chicago Park District website. I managed to learn about this place during the COVID-19 pandemic when I was inspired to explore all the city’s finest parks and nearby trails. It’s not quite home, but it feels a lot like home if I just look up towards the sky.