Although we often associate sauna with Finland, there are countless sauna and bathing traditions around the world. Each culture has developed its own form of hot bath with unique rituals and social meanings.
The Japanese sento and onsen
In Japan, bathing culture plays a central role. Sento are public bathhouses where people meet to wash and relax. Onsen are hot springs that occur naturally in the country. Here, the healing waters are combined with tranquility and socializing.
The Russian banya
In Russia, banya is an important tradition. Like in Finland, birch bark is used to whip the skin, but the temperature is often higher and the steam denser. Banja is both a social gathering point and a healing practice, where the body is deeply cleansed.
Turkish hammam
Hamam is known as the Turkish steam bath. Unlike the sauna, the experience here is based on moist heat and water rituals. Guests are washed, scrubbed and massaged, making the hamam a combination of cleanliness, relaxation and social experience.
South American temazcal
In Mexico and other parts of Central America, there is the temazcal – a sweat lodge that originates from ancient Mayan rituals. It combines hot stones, herbal steams and ceremonies that have both spiritual and healing purposes.
Common denominators and differences
Across cultures, there are a number of common features: heat, sweating, purification and socializing. But the expression varies from the dry Finnish sauna to the humid hammam and the ritualistic temazcal ceremonies.
What can we learn from Denmark?
Exploring different sauna styles can inspire us to see sauna as more than just relaxation. It is a global cultural heritage that binds people together through heat and ritual.
Part of something bigger
When we enter the sauna, we participate in a millennia-long tradition that comes in many variations. Knowing the different types of sauna provides a deeper understanding of how heat can unite body, mind, and culture.
