Rainy days, beech trees & hot springs

By Akihiro Wada · Field notes

Forest bathing in Bijin Forest did not go according to plan. Our journey to Matsunoyama in Niigata brought overcast skies, steady rain and umbrellas in hand. What we found inside Bijin Forest turned out to be quite extraordinary.

Entering the forest of beautiful trees

The name Bijin Forest (美人林) — literally "forest of beautiful ladies" — refers not to the visitors but to the trees. This three-hectare grove of Japanese beech sits at around 300 metres in the snow country of Niigata. The stand was once heavily logged; what you see today is a remarkable natural regeneration, straight slender trunks rising in near-perfect formation, the result of beeches growing back densely and competing for light.

The forest wears the seasons dramatically: russet leaves in autumn, three to four metres of snow in winter, fresh green canopy in spring and summer.

What rain reveals

Beech bark is naturally smooth and silvery-grey. But in the rain, dark rivulets of water ran in thin parallel lines down each trunk, following the grain of the bark. Each tree looked as though it had been inked with fine brushstrokes — a sumi-e painting come to life. The lines converged and fanned toward the moss-covered roots, pooling into the carpet of last autumn's leaves beneath our feet.

We stood and simply looked. The forest reveals different faces depending on when you arrive.

An honest reflection: the role of lying down

For us, the wet ground changed the session: we chose not to lie down, and we missed that familiar way of resting. This is a personal reflection, not evidence that lying down is necessary for forest bathing.

Lying down is one comfortable option when conditions allow. Sitting, standing quietly and sensory attention are worthwhile alternatives.

We still walked, noticed the beech trunks and listened to the rain. The day reminded us to adapt invitations to the weather rather than measure every session against one preferred posture. What felt missing to us may not be missing for another person.

Resting in the onsen

Fortunately, Matsunoyama had a remedy waiting. After the forest we made our way to 松之山温泉 — one of Japan's three great medicinal hot springs. The waters here are highly saline and emerge at unusually high temperatures, known locally for their deeply penetrating heat. Soaking in the milky, mineral-rich water, the forest's unfinished work seemed to continue. Muscles softened. Breathing slowed. The warmth reached places the rain had chilled.

Together, the forest and the onsen formed something complete. What the trees had begun, the water finished.

A note for future visitors

Bijin Forest is beautiful in every season, but if you are planning a forest therapy visit, check the weather and bring a ground mat. The quiet experience of lying beneath those silver beech trunks, watching rain-washed branches sway above you, would be something else entirely. We'll be back to find out.

Bijin Forest is located in Matsunoyama, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture. Matsunoyama Onsen is a short drive away and makes a perfect pairing for any forest bathing day trip.