Last Updated:March 31, 2025, 13:21 IST

Japan offers techniques like ‘Shinrin-yoku’, ‘Zazen’, ‘Kaizen’, ‘Kintsugi’, and ‘Shukan’ to reduce stress and enhance mental health. These methods promote mental clarity, resilience, and emotional balance

In this fast-paced world, mental stress and anxiety are common issues. People use various methods to maintain a calm and balanced mind.

Japan has provided us with some remarkable techniques to achieve mental peace and freshness, which not only reduce stress but also enhance mental health. This article explores these five Japanese techniques that can help detoxify your mind.

• Shinrin-yoku (Forest Bathing): Shinrin-yoku, or ‘forest bathing’, involves spending time in the serene and natural environment of a forest. It is more than just being in nature; it revitalises both body and mind. Breathing fresh air, listening to birdsongs, and experiencing tranquillity while walking through the forest alleviates stress. This technique reduces cortisol (stress hormone) levels and enhances mental clarity, offering an effective way to escape stressful situations and eliminate mental fatigue.
• Zazen (Sitting Meditation): Zazen is a form of Buddhist meditation where you sit quietly and focus on your breath. The goal is to achieve mental peace and clarity of thought. During zazen, you observe your thoughts, allowing them to come and go without judgment. This technique helps clear mental clutter and balances your emotional state. With regular practice, you can experience inner peace.
• Kaizen (Continuous Improvement): Kaizen means ‘continuous improvement’ and is a life philosophy that involves making small, ongoing positive changes. Rather than fearing significant changes, this technique encourages taking small steps daily. It helps reduce mental stress and boosts confidence. Through kaizen, you can make minor adjustments to your routine, such as waking up on time, eating a healthy diet, or improving small habits. These little improvements keep your mind stable and balanced.
• Kintsugi (The Art of Embracing Imperfections): Kintsugi is a Japanese art where broken pottery is repaired with gold, highlighting the breakage rather than hiding it. This art form views breakage not as a flaw but as a beautiful transformation. Similarly, life’s failures and struggles can be accepted by shifting your mindset. By viewing your imperfections and failures from a new perspective, you become more mentally resilient. The philosophy of Kintsugi provides mental peace and balance.
• Shukan (Decluttering Routine): Shukan involves removing physical and mental clutter to achieve peace. This technique not only helps keep your physical space tidy but also lightens your mental and emotional load. As Marie Kondo suggests in her method, ‘Keep only those things that bring you joy.’ This principle is the essence of Shukan. By eliminating unnecessary worries and burdens, your mind becomes more calm and focused.