Edvard Munch’s most famous painting, The Scream, began as a walk in nature and is a representation of isolation, disconnection and loneliness. During lockdowns, when gyms and pools were all closed, the only form of exercise many people could do was walk. Our outside walks became rituals for many of us, the only time of the day or night when we left our homes. 

Since ancient Greek and Roman times, walking has been considered a part of healing. It’s a concept that Japanese culture has long believed in: to walk in nature, surrounded by trees, is a way to shed loneliness and connect back to others and our roots.