Emotional, Restorative and Vitalizing Effects of Forest and Urban Environments at Four Sites in Japan

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Norimasa Takayama⁴  Kalevi Korpela⁵  Juyoung Lee¹  Takeshi Morikawa⁴  Yuko Tsunetsugu⁴  Bum-Jin Park²  Qing Li³  Liisa Tyrväinen⁶  Yoshifumi Miyazaki⁷ 

[1] Korea Forest Service, Government Complex 1, 189 Cheongsa-ro, Seo-gu, Daejeon 302-701, Korea; E-Mail:;College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu Daejeon 305-764, Korea; E-Mail:;Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan; E-Mail:;Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan; E-Mails:;School of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Tampere, Kalevantie 4, Tampere FI-33104, Finland; E-Mail:;Finnish Forest Research Institute (METLA), PO Box 18 (Jokiniemenkuja 1), Vantaa FI-01301, Finland; E-Mail:;Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, 6-2-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, Japan; E-Mail:

关键词: forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku);    psychological outcome;    restorativeness;    vitalization;    emotion;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph110707207

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

The present study investigated the well-being effects of short-term forest walking and viewing (“forest bathing”). The hypothesis in our study was that both environment (forest vs. urban) and activity (walking and viewing) would influence psychological outcomes. An additional aim was to enhance basic research using several psychological methods. We conducted the experiments using 45 respondents in four areas of Japan from August to September, 2011. The hypothesis in our study was supported, because significant interaction terms between the environment and activity were confirmed regarding the Profile of Mood States (POMS) indexes, Restorative Outcome Scale (ROS) and Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS). No statistical differences between the two experimental groups in any of the ten scales were found before the experiment. However, feelings of vigor and positive effects, as well as feelings of subjective recovery and vitality were stronger in the forest environment than in the urban environment.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.