- I feel like it's gonna be a tough day for me.
And it's definitely like at the end of the day
you get to a point where you're like,
"I'm exhausted right now,"
and it all catches up to you a little bit.
All right hold up, let's rewind.
(tape rewinding)
We're on our phones for calls, texting, games, and emails,
our computers while at work,
and our televisions when we get home.
Where's the balance, is it all too much?
My name is Mike Dewey, I'm a filmmaker from California,
and together with my friend and producer, Kati Hetrick,
we started doing some research on technology
and its effect on anxiety, stress, and wellbeing,
until we came across a funny term,
called Japanese forest bathing.
And no it's got nothing to do
with taking a bath in the forest,
but more so, spending time in nature
to improve your health and wellbeing.
To learn more about it,
we packed our bags and headed to Japan,
where we met with leading researcher on the subject,
Doctor Yoshifumi Miyazaki.
- So, right now we're up here in Chiba University,
and we're gonna meet with a professor,
and we're gonna sit down and we're gonna talk to him
and find out a little bit about his research,
and how it's been utilized here in Japan.
Outside of Tokyo right now, and there's buildings.
We're obviously very much in an urban environment,
but as soon as you step on campus,
there's gardens, there's groves of trees.
It's obviously there's a lot of emphasis
on creating a natural environment.
- [Mike] Through a translator,
Miyazaki went on for a couple of hours,
passionately explaining Japanese forest bathing,
or shinrin yoku, as it's called in Japanese.
He told us that essentially the idea
of Japanese forest bathing
is if humans go back into nature
and spend more time where they came from,
it will help reduce our blood pressure,
our heart rates, our stress,
and overall leave us feeling a lot better.
He also mentioned that for about 99.9%
of the existence of humans,
we've lived in these natural environments,
and only in the final .01% have we been around
such technology in urban environments.
(primal music)
On a final note, he told us
that there were many trails throughout Japan
where this research is being done,
and we started digging around to look for a trail ourselves.
We then came across this local woman
who told us about a very interesting trail.
After speaking with her, our minds were made up.
This trail is commonly known as the Kumano Kodo.
(inspirational music)
Our journey on the Kumano Kodo starts in Tanabe.
From here, there are several different routes you can take.
The one we chose would be four to five days long,
and involve all-day hikes throughout mountains,
with overnight stays in the local villages.
We used a local guide company
to help translate and coordinate our stays.
We also decided, in an effort to fully disconnect,
we'd both shut off our phones and technology,
with the exception of my camera,
and a small camera Kati had to document the trip.
(deep breathing in and out)
(footsteps)
(panting) All right,
I'm starting to sweat.
(panting)
The light is going fast.
20, 30 more minutes, it's gone.
Ugh.
Ugh, why did I bring this drone?
- We're over the big steep stuff now,
and then hopefully the rest of it is just flat.
It's really pretty, kinda nice to just,
- [Mike] It's getting quieter too.
- get in the zone, yeah it's getting quieter.
It's nice.
- So, I think we're in Takahara.
There's some street lamps and a payphone light.
It's pretty dark though.
Kati's looking around with a flashlight,
trying to figure out where we're sleeping tonight.
We're not gonna use our phones or anything,
since we're detoxing, and
I think she's found out where we're going.
(footsteps in gravel)
(twigs snapping) (crickets chirping)
- [Kati] Yeah.
(peaceful music)
(speaking in Japanese)
(peaceful music)
(speaking in Japanese)
- Okay. - Okay?
- [Mike] Downstairs.
(speaking in Japanese) - Okay.
- Okay. - Okay.
- What?
- [Mike] Shower and bath are downstairs.
- Oh, okay.
- (sighs) What an amazing end to the first day.
If this is a sign of what's the come,
we are in for quite a trip.
While the main goal of our trip was to disconnect
and learn more about Japanese forest bathing,
we quickly realized that this trail
would offer us so much more.
Not only an insight into Japanese culture,
but also an opportunity to learn more
about this ancient trail.
- (sighs) It's so good.
(birds chirping)
So currently we are in Takahara,
which is the starting point for Section 2
of the Kumano Kodo.
Takahara in Japanese literally means high field,
so I think that right now we are currently at one of the
highest villages that we're going to reach on this journey,
and
it is
absolutely stunning.
(drums) (birds chirping)
- [Mike] The appreciation of nature
has long been a strong cultural tradition
of the Japanese people.
The original religion of Japan is actually Shinto,
which is a religion in which one worships deities
that embody rocks, trees, wind and the sun.
It's also said that Shinto shrines
are typically surrounded by nature,
and give off a sense of calm and relaxation.
- This is a shrine right here,
and it's to commemorate the people who kind of came through,
during their pilgrimage,
which for some of them was over 1,000 years ago.
It's not uncommon to see both a shrine and a,
which is Shintoism, next to a temple,
which is for the Buddhist practice.
- [Mike] Cool.
- Because, it just sort of shows, I think
that they purposely put the two together
to show that they're not at odds with one another,
but they actually are harmonious with one another.
(peaceful music)
- [Mike] Although we chose to do this hike together,
we both spend much of our days hiking apart,
to entirely clear our minds
and take in the surroundings of nature.
Forest bathing in its purest form,
actually involves doing nothing, but sitting still,
and taking in the sights, smells and sounds of nature.
(deep breathing in and out) (peaceful music)
Our host from the previous night had spoken no English,
however, our host for this evening spoke some.
With that, through small conversation,
we began to realize the immense respect the Japanese have,
not only for nature, but for food too.
The meal our host had prepared us,
had all been sourced from his garden.
We could tell how passionate he was
to describe each dish in detail.
- This rice is grown here.
- Yes, it's homegrown.
- Okay. - Hey.
- We come to celebrate, Japanese.
(all speaking in Japanese)
- We spoke after dinner,
and talked about how this journey
was becoming something so much bigger
than we had realized initially.
(peaceful music) (crickets chirping)
The stuff that we've researched coming into this trip,
and part of the stuff that
Kati's really been fascinated with
is this concept of Japanese forest bathing,
and how being outside in nature
will help lower your blood pressure,
and it will help, kind of overall, relax you.
It'll help, it chemically actually changes your body,
and I think part of that for me
has been not being on my phone all the time,
and just being super, super present.
And I've noticed my sleeping has gotten a lot better,
and I've just been more present and aware.
I think I've actually also gotten more productive.
Instead of sitting on my phone for an hour or two,
swiping through Instagram and Facebook,
I'm like, "Hey, maybe I'll go shoot something.
"Maybe I'll look outside for sunset.
"Maybe I'll go talk to the guy outside,
"or have a cool interaction with a local."
It's a reality check.
I don't know
how to find that balance going forward, and we're so
concerned with how quick and responsive we are these days
with technology and text messages.
If you don't respond within five minutes,
you think you're getting blown off.
So, I guess the question is
how can we find that balance going forward,
and is it possible, and, I don't know.
It's just, being on this trip has
kind of opened my eyes to some things, and, yeah.
(peaceful music)
(crickets chirping)
(drums)
(footsteps)
(water running)
(bell clanking)
So historically, this trail obviously has religious roots.
In a modern sense, this trail's neat
'cause it kinda offers you
whatever you need from it.
I mean, maybe it's exercise,
maybe it's bonding with your family,
maybe it's your own journey,
or something that you're learning about yourself,
and for me it's been an amazing detox away from things,
and reconnecting with nature,
which I haven't really had as much in Los Angeles,
but it's been such a beautiful journey.
(peaceful music)
- I didn't realize until like just now,
but the, all the little shrines along the way,
which are like basically mini shrines
all leading up to the grand shrine.
Historically, like hundreds of years ago,
and some even thousands,
were little tea houses or places of rest,
places for people who were doing the pilgrimage,
usually royalty or part of the Imperial Family.
It was places for them to give gratitude,
and practice their spiritual beliefs along the way.
(peaceful music)
(bell clanking)
(peaceful music)
- (sighs) We've gotten to the end of our trek here,
exploring some of these temples a little bit.
There's actually a lot of people here,
a lot of Japanese tourists but,
the good news is, another end to a long day.
Feel pretty good, exhausted.
Finish out a few more steps, call it a night.
(peaceful music)
(rain falling)
- So it is day four of the hike, the final day of the hike,
and also the longest day of the hike.
We have about 10 miles ahead of us,
and of course, it is
raining.
So.
- Bummer.
- (laughing ) Best weather of the trip so far.
- Knew this was coming sooner or later though,
honestly. - It had to, it had to.
(rain falling)
- Slippery rocks don't help much.
(grunts)
It's all part of the journey though,
and so far, it's been worth it.
Whoa!
(rain falling)
- In order for memories to really solidify
and stick with you,
I firmly believe that there has to be a level of discomfort
that goes along with it.
There has to be something that pulls you out of
your normal routine or,
something about the plan has to be disrupted.
(rain falling)
Definitely getting to the point where I'm a little hungry.
Very tired, and I have no idea where Mike is. (laughing)
(rain falling heavily)
- (sighs) I'm exhausted.
I feel like the last few days, I have felt pretty good,
and it's definitely like at the end of the day
you get to a point where you're like,
"I'm exhausted right now,"
and it all catches up to you a little bit.
But I feel like the hiking-wise, I've been totally fine.
But today in particular,
ugh, I just saw that we have 12 kilometers,
it's like six or seven miles left.
(rain falling heavily)
(sighs)
The thing is it's all uphill,
so, and it's in the rain,
and I'm carrying all this heavy camera gear, so.
(exhales forcefully)
(rain falling heavily)
- [Kati] That was shitty.
- That was gnarly dude,
straight uphill. - I'm over it.
Yeah, so apparently, this says we're at the top.
- Cool. - So no more uphill.
- That was beast mode dude.
- [Kati] Yeah, 870 meters.
- It was beautiful though.
- [Kati] Super pretty.
Good news is that hundreds of other pilgrims
have done this in the past,
and all described it as being
the most difficult portion of the entire trail.
- Really?
- [Kati] Yes, even the famous poet, Fujiwara,
wrote in his diary in 1201,
that this run is very difficult,
and it is impossible to describe precisely
how tough it is.
- I feel better now.
- [Kati] So we're done.
Yes. - That's probably not true,
but, love the enthusiasm.
- [Kati] And optimism.
- Yeah, I'm pretty sure.
(both chuckle)
(peaceful music) (rain falling)
We are both so exhausted,
and we still have like four hours to go.
This is by far the hardest day of the trip.
All right guys, I just saw a sign that says
we have like 2 1/2 miles left, which is super exciting.
Oh!
Today it took a lot out of me.
I was pretty worn down there in the very beginning,
as you guys saw.
It was really wearing on me.
I was by myself, 'cause Kati was a couple,
she was probably like an hour ahead of me,
she was powering on,
and I just got into a funk, and,
ugh, yeah, it was tough.
(peaceful music) (rain falling)
- [Kati] Final stretch.
- This is incredible, what a way to end our journey
through the Kumano Kodo, in this foggy,
mystical forest that we're in,
on the Kumano Kodo.
Wow, there's no one here.
There's no one around.
The Kumano ancient road.
Wow!
- [Kati] Oh, we're at the end.
- Is this it?
- [Kati] I think so.
- Think we've reached Nachisan.
There's a temple and a waterfall over here.
It looks like we're kind of hanging up in the clouds,
which is pretty cool.
(Mike sighs)
- Well shall we go to the very last stop?
- [Mike] Let's do it.
- We're on the final steps of the hike.
This is so cool!
A great way to end it.
(peaceful music)
Yeah, I'm exhausted and wet and cold,
and excited for a hot tub,
onsen.
But also very excited.
This was
a truly cool,
special experience.
(peaceful music)
- [Mike] Although we went to Japan
to learn about Japanese forest bathing,
we left with something so much more.
One could say that our journey along the Kumano Kodo
was a giant distraction away from
the true test of the digital detox,
but for us both, there was something about the forest
that we couldn't deny pulled us in.
Maybe the Japanese are on to something.
Five to 10 hours alone, at many times, on the trail,
completely at ease, questioning what's around every corner,
and our own willpower.
(sighs) (rain falling)
Losing thought in the unknown mysteries of the forest,
instead of social media feeds.
Researchers like Miyazaki are continuing to do research
on what it is about the forest and nature
that chemically changes us.
Is it the smells, the sounds, the noises?
There's no doubt, as technology progresses,
our dependency on it will grow greater and greater,
tests have already shown.
Our addiction now is higher than it's ever been.
The goal now is, how do we strike that balance?
Is spending more time in nature the solution?
I'll say going into this project for us both,
we were very curious and intrigued,
and I was even a bit skeptical.
Now, leaving Japan, two weeks later, we're asking ourselves,
what is it about nature that changed us?
(peaceful music)
(deep breathing in and out)