Day 026 — 2026年6月3日(水)に配信

CEFR A2 244 words Cultural英検準2級〜2級

The Japanese Art of Forest Bathing

— Shinrin-yoku: how slow walking became medicine —

英文を読む

文の左のを押すと、その1文だけ読み上げます。まずは辞書を引かずに、最後まで一気に読んでみてください。

In Japan, there is a beautiful word: shinrin-yoku. It means "forest bathing." But do not worry — no swimsuit is needed. Forest bathing is simply the practice of walking slowly in the forest, breathing deeply, and using all your senses to feel the trees, the air, the light, and the sounds around you.

The idea was born in Japan in the 1980s. Doctors and government workers were worried because more and more people in big cities were feeling tired and stressed. They wanted a simple, natural way to help. So they suggested something easy: just go to the forest and stay there for a while. No phones, no goals, no hurry.

Scientists soon started to study what forest bathing does to the body. The results were exciting. After two hours in a forest, people often have lower blood pressure, slower heartbeats, and lower stress hormones. Trees also send out special oils called "phytoncides" to protect themselves from insects. When humans breathe these oils, our body's natural defense system seems to become a little stronger.

Today, forest bathing is popular all over the world. There are special forest paths and guides in countries like the United States, Germany, and South Korea. Some hospitals even ask sick patients to try it.

You do not need a huge forest. A small park with many trees can also work. Just slow down, breathe, and let nature do the rest.

4問に答える

選ぶとその場で正誤と解説が出ます。

0/4

Q1 因果推論

Why was forest bathing suggested in Japan in the 1980s?

Q2 語句の意味

What are "phytoncides" described as?

Q3 推論

What does the passage suggest about the effect on the body's defense system?

Q4 筆者の意図

Why does the writer say "You do not need a huge forest"?

日本語訳（段落ごとの対訳）

01In Japan, there is a beautiful word: shinrin-yoku. It means "forest bathing." But do not worry — no swimsuit is needed. Forest bathing is simply the practice of walking slowly in the forest, breathing deeply, and using all your senses to feel the trees, the air, the light, and the sounds around you.

日本には美しい言葉があります。「森林浴(shinrin-yoku)」。直訳すると「forest bathing」ですが、水着は不要です(笑)。これは森の中をゆっくり歩き、深呼吸をしながら、五感すべてで木々・空気・光・音を感じる「実践」のこと。

02The idea was born in Japan in the 1980s. Doctors and government workers were worried because more and more people in big cities were feeling tired and stressed. They wanted a simple, natural way to help. So they suggested something easy: just go to the forest and stay there for a while. No phones, no goals, no hurry.

このアイデアは1980年代に日本で生まれました。都市部の人々が疲れやストレスで参っているのを見て、医師や政府職員が「シンプルで自然な解決策」を探していたんです。彼らの提案はとても簡単——「森に行って、しばらくそこにいる。スマホなし、目標なし、急ぐ気持ちなし」。

03Scientists soon started to study what forest bathing does to the body. The results were exciting. After two hours in a forest, people often have lower blood pressure, slower heartbeats, and lower stress hormones. Trees also send out special oils called "phytoncides" to protect themselves from insects. When humans breathe these oils, our body's natural defense system seems to become a little stronger.

やがて科学者たちが森林浴の効果を調べ始めました。結果は驚きの連続。2時間森にいると、血圧が下がり、心拍がゆっくりになり、ストレスホルモンが減る。さらに木々は虫から身を守るために「フィトンチッド」という特別な精油を放出していて、これを人間が吸い込むと免疫システムが少し強くなることも分かったんです。

04Today, forest bathing is popular all over the world. There are special forest paths and guides in countries like the United States, Germany, and South Korea. Some hospitals even ask sick patients to try it.

今では森林浴は世界中で大人気。アメリカ、ドイツ、韓国などには専用の森の道や認定ガイドまであります。一部の病院では患者さんに森林浴を勧めることも。

05You do not need a huge forest. A small park with many trees can also work. Just slow down, breathe, and let nature do the rest.

巨大な森じゃなくても大丈夫。木がたくさんある小さな公園でも効果はあります。ゆっくり歩いて、深く呼吸して、あとは自然に任せる。それだけで十分なんですよ^^

この英文の語句

forest A2 森
breathe B1 呼吸する
stress B1 ストレス
blood pressure B2 血圧
hormone B2 ホルモン
defense B1 防御
patient B1 患者
nature A2 自然

目から鱗の豆知識

へえ！

「森林浴」という言葉は1982年に当時の林野庁長官・秋山智英氏が提唱したのが始まりとされています。日本発の概念が国際語になった珍しい例で、英語でも "shinrin-yoku" でそのまま通じます。フィトンチッド(phytoncide)はロシアの研究者ボリス・トーキンが1928年に命名した造語で、ギリシャ語の「phyton(植物)+ cide(殺す)」が語源。スギ・ヒノキ・モミなどの針葉樹に特に多く含まれます。NIH(米国国立衛生研究所)も森林浴のNK細胞活性化効果を認めており、医療現場でも徐々に取り入れられています。日本文化が世界の健康常識を変えた、誇らしい話^^

もう一つ

「森林浴」という言葉は、1982年に林野庁が作った造語です。当時の長官が「森を歩くと気持ちがいい」を政策の言葉にするため考えたもので、40年で世界語になりました。英語圏では訳さずそのまま shinrin-yoku と呼ばれ、Forest Therapy のガイド資格まで存在します。日本語がそのまま輸出された例としては umami・karoshi・emoji の仲間入り。ちなみに研究では「2時間」が一つの目安とされていますが、15分の散歩でも血圧は下がると報告されています^^

この英文で拾っておきたい表現

more and more ~ ますます多くの〜増加の傾向を示す。社会問題の書き出しで頻出
seem to do 〜のようだ断定を避ける。研究の記述で最も重要な表現の一つ
let nature do the rest あとは自然に任せる let＋人／物＋動詞の原形。使役の基本形

もっと解きたい人へ

無限モードで100日ぶんから出題させる AIを待たずに、この場で。読解・文のつながり・語彙・空所補充・語形・前置詞・語順・聞き取りが、尽きることなく出てきます。手ごたえも3段階から選べます。 この話題で、新しい長文を書いてもらう 「The Japanese Art of Forest Bathing」に関連する英文を、AIはらだくんがその場で書きます。英検2級〜1級までレベルを選べて、4問つき。読んだら押して答えられます。

朝活英語100連発|原田英語.com

Day 026

The Japanese Art of Forest Bathing

CEFR A2英検準2級〜2級244 words2026年6月3日(水) 配信 Name

Reading

1In Japan, there is a beautiful word: shinrin-yoku. It means "forest bathing." But do not worry — no swimsuit is needed. Forest bathing is simply the practice of walking slowly in the forest, breathing deeply, and using all your senses to feel the trees, the air, the light, and the sounds around you.

2The idea was born in Japan in the 1980s. Doctors and government workers were worried because more and more people in big cities were feeling tired and stressed. They wanted a simple, natural way to help. So they suggested something easy: just go to the forest and stay there for a while. No phones, no goals, no hurry.

3Scientists soon started to study what forest bathing does to the body. The results were exciting. After two hours in a forest, people often have lower blood pressure, slower heartbeats, and lower stress hormones. Trees also send out special oils called "phytoncides" to protect themselves from insects. When humans breathe these oils, our body's natural defense system seems to become a little stronger.

4Today, forest bathing is popular all over the world. There are special forest paths and guides in countries like the United States, Germany, and South Korea. Some hospitals even ask sick patients to try it.

5You do not need a huge forest. A small park with many trees can also work. Just slow down, breathe, and let nature do the rest.

Questions

Why was forest bathing suggested in Japan in the 1980s?
1. ABecause forests were being cut down too quickly
2. BBecause doctors wanted a replacement for medicine
3. CBecause city people were increasingly tired and stressed
4. DBecause hospitals had too many patients to treat
What are "phytoncides" described as?
1. AChemicals produced by the human body during exercise
2. BOils that trees release to protect themselves from insects
3. CTiny particles that make forest air feel cooler
4. DHormones that lower blood pressure in animals
What does the passage suggest about the effect on the body's defense system?
1. AIt is proved to cure illnesses caused by stress
2. BIt appears to become somewhat stronger
3. CIt becomes weaker unless you visit a forest weekly
4. DIt changes only in people who already exercise
Why does the writer say "You do not need a huge forest"?
1. ATo warn that large forests can be dangerous alone
2. BTo explain why cities are building more parks
3. CTo make the practice feel possible for ordinary readers
4. DTo show that the benefits come from the number of trees

Day 026 — The Japanese Art of Forest Bathing|解答・語句・全訳

Answers

C Because city people were increasingly tired and stressed

"more and more people in big cities were feeling tired and stressed" が根拠。more and more ~（ますます多くの〜）は、社会問題の導入でよく使われる形。森林保護の話ではありません。
B Oils that trees release to protect themselves from insects

"Trees also send out special oils called 'phytoncides' to protect themselves from insects." が定義。専門用語は called X の前後が解説になっています。読めない単語で止まらないこと。
B It appears to become somewhat stronger

"our body's natural defense system seems to become a little stronger." ——seems to と a little、控えめな語が2つ重なっています。「治る」と言い切る選択肢は、必ず言い過ぎ。
C To make the practice feel possible for ordinary readers

直後に "A small park with many trees can also work." と続きます。読者のハードルを下げるための一文で、締めの "Just slow down, breathe" につながります。最終段落は読者への手渡しです。

Key Words

forestA2森
breatheB1呼吸する
stressB1ストレス
blood pressureB2血圧
hormoneB2ホルモン
defenseB1防御
patientB1患者
natureA2自然

日本語訳

1日本には美しい言葉があります。「森林浴(shinrin-yoku)」。直訳すると「forest bathing」ですが、水着は不要です(笑)。これは森の中をゆっくり歩き、深呼吸をしながら、五感すべてで木々・空気・光・音を感じる「実践」のこと。

2このアイデアは1980年代に日本で生まれました。都市部の人々が疲れやストレスで参っているのを見て、医師や政府職員が「シンプルで自然な解決策」を探していたんです。彼らの提案はとても簡単——「森に行って、しばらくそこにいる。スマホなし、目標なし、急ぐ気持ちなし」。

3やがて科学者たちが森林浴の効果を調べ始めました。結果は驚きの連続。2時間森にいると、血圧が下がり、心拍がゆっくりになり、ストレスホルモンが減る。さらに木々は虫から身を守るために「フィトンチッド」という特別な精油を放出していて、これを人間が吸い込むと免疫システムが少し強くなることも分かったんです。

4今では森林浴は世界中で大人気。アメリカ、ドイツ、韓国などには専用の森の道や認定ガイドまであります。一部の病院では患者さんに森林浴を勧めることも。

5巨大な森じゃなくても大丈夫。木がたくさんある小さな公園でも効果はあります。ゆっくり歩いて、深く呼吸して、あとは自然に任せる。それだけで十分なんですよ^^