I just returned from three weeks in Japan and one of my biggest takeaways is how much I love both the city and the forest. I need both. The energy of the city keeps me inspired, but the forest resets my mind and allows me to focus, plan and prevent burnout.
There’s nothing more calming than standing in a Japanese forest surrounded by hinoki trees, then ending the day in an onsen. That mix of fresh air, stillness, sounds of the forest and warmth slows everything down. It’s the kind of calm that sticks with you.
That’s what first made me fall in love with hinoki. It wasn’t just the scent. It was how I felt when I was around it. That feeling led me down a rabbit hole of research on the science of calm and what actually happens to the body when you experience it.
The Balance Between City and Forest
After a few days in the forest, I started to miss my city routine. I missed the diversity of food and people, my favorite cafes, modern gym and my F1 simulator. I realized I don’t need to choose between peace and pace. I just need a way to carry both and manage my calm in the city.
That’s where hinoki oil comes in.
Bringing Forest Calm Into City Life
I smell hinoki oil for five minutes while doing breathwork every two hours. It’s my reset and easiest way to manage stress levels. I do the same thing to manage my hydration by sipping water throughout the entire day.
It’s a simple ritual that keeps me connected to the same calm I feel in the forest. The scent is grounding and it signals to my body that it’s safe to relax even if the city around me is moving fast.
The Science Behind Hinoki
Hinoki oil contains compounds like alpha-pinene and bornyl acetate that help your body shift into the parasympathetic state. That’s the part of your nervous system that slows your heart rate, lowers stress hormones and helps your body recover.
Studies on forest bathing in Japan show that even smelling hinoki can reduce cortisol, improve mood and increase natural killer (NK) cell activity, which supports immune health. The same compounds responsible for that forest calm are in every drop of the oil.
The connection between scent and emotion is powerful. Your brain remembers smells more vividly than words or images. Over time, when you pair hinoki with calm moments, your brain learns to associate the scent with safety. That’s why just inhaling it can change how you feel within seconds.
Why It Matters
You don’t need to live in a forest to find calm. You just need rituals that remind your body how to feel it. For me, that’s hinoki.
It’s the balance between both worlds. The calm of the forest and the fun of the city. One grounds me, the other drives me.
And somewhere in between, I’ve found my version of calm.
