Bathing Cultures of the World: From Sauna and Hammam to Onsen
Sweating, washing, resting: almost every region of the world has its own way of enjoying warmth and water. Bathing cultures range from the Finnish sauna to the Turkish hammam and the Japanese onsen – and each has its own spaces, rituals and rules. In this article we travel once around the world: where the best-known bathing cultures come from, what defines them, what to look out for as a guest abroad and what role the towel plays.
Contents13
- Bathing cultures of the world at a glance
- Finland and Estonia: the sauna as a way of life
- Russia and Eastern Europe: the banya
- Turkey, Middle East, North Africa: the hammam
- Japan: onsen and sento
- South Korea: the jjimjilbang
- Roman thermae and European baths
- Central America and Iceland
- Bathing cultures as a guest: etiquette abroad
- What all bathing cultures have in common
- One towel for (almost) every bathing culture
- Conclusion
- Frequently asked questions
Bathing cultures of the world at a glance
| Tradition | Region | Core of the ritual | Typical textile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sauna | Finland, Estonia | Dry heat, infusion, cooling off in the lake | Seat cover, otherwise textile-free |
| Banya | Russia, Eastern Europe | Moist heat, venik made of birch twigs | Felt hat, sheet |
| Hammam | Turkey, Middle East, North Africa | Warm marble stone, washing, foam | Peshtemal (hammam towel) |
| Onsen and sento | Japan | Wash thoroughly, then sit quietly in the hot pool | Small cotton towel |
| Jjimjilbang | South Korea | Baths, heated rooms, communal area | Provided clothing, folded towel |
| Thermae | Ancient Rome, today Hungary, Italy, Germany | Cold, warm and hot baths in sequence | Swimwear, bathrobe |
| Temazcal | Mexico, Central America | Dome-shaped sweat lodge with herbal steam | Light cotton |
| Hot springs | Iceland | Geothermal pools in the open air | Swimwear, large towel |
Finland and Estonia: the sauna as a way of life
In Finland, the sauna is as much a part of everyday life as the shower is for us. There are millions of saunas there – in flats, summer houses, companies and even in parliament. Since 2020, Finnish sauna culture has been on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The smoke sauna tradition of Võromaa in Estonia was added back in 2014.
Typical is the alternation of dry heat, the infusion on the hot stones (“löyly”) and cooling off in a lake or in the snow. People speak little, but not never: the sauna is also a place for conversation among friends and family. As a rule, people don't wear clothing, but public saunas often provide a seat cover made of paper or fabric.
Russia and Eastern Europe: the banya
The banya is more humid than the Finnish sauna. Water is poured on often and generously, and the air is dense. Part of the ritual is the venik, a bundle of birch or oak twigs used to tap yourself or each other. A felt hat protects the head from the heat. After sweating, people cool off in cold water, then drink tea and talk at the table. This makes the banya as much a social meeting place as a place of warmth.
Turkey, Middle East, North Africa: the hammam
The hammam has its roots in Roman and Byzantine baths. Under Ottoman rule, it developed into a bathing culture of its own centred on cleansing. You lie on the warm marble navel stone, are scrubbed with the kese mitt, wrapped in soap foam and doused with warm water. In Morocco, black soap and ghassoul clay are common.
The hammam was and still is a place to meet – traditionally especially for women, for example before weddings. The cloth of this bathing culture is the peshtemal: flat-woven, light, with fringes and wrapped around the hips. Where it comes from and what makes it special is explained in detail in the article What is a peshtemal?
Japan: onsen and sento
Bathing cultures in Japan have a long history because the country is volcanic and has many hot springs. An onsen is fed by a natural hot spring, while a sento is a public bathhouse with heated tap water. The principle is the same in both: first you wash thoroughly while seated at a washing station, then you get into the hot pool clean and sit quietly.
A small cotton towel is always with you. It is used for washing and drying off but never goes into the pool – many people place it folded on their head. Swimwear is not customary in classic onsen, and the areas are separated by gender.
South Korea: the jjimjilbang
The jjimjilbang is a mix of bathhouse, heated rooms and meeting place, often open around the clock. In the gender-separated bathing area, people wash, bathe and scrub. Then they put on the clothing provided and go into the shared area with rooms at different temperatures, places to lie down and food stalls. Popular there are eggs baked in the oven and a sweet rice drink. The small towel is often folded into a “sheep's head” and worn on the head.
Roman thermae and European baths
The Romans turned bathing into a public event. In large complexes such as the Baths of Caracalla in Rome, people moved from the frigidarium (cold) through the tepidarium (lukewarm) to the caldarium (hot). The baths were a meeting place, sports ground and library all at once. You can still find terms like tepidarium and caldarium in many sauna complexes today.
In the Middle Ages, many European towns had bathhouses; later, public baths lost importance. In the 18th and 19th centuries, spa towns and seaside resorts emerged, for example on the North Sea and Baltic coasts. In Budapest you can still experience this European bathing culture today: thermal baths such as the Széchenyi or Gellért Baths, plus baths from the Ottoman era.
Central America and Iceland
Temazcal
The temazcal is a small, usually round sweat lodge made of clay or stone that dates back to pre-Hispanic cultures in Mexico and Central America. Water with herbs is poured onto hot stones, often accompanied by chanting. Many ceremonies have a spiritual meaning that you should respect as a guest.
Iceland
In Iceland, people bathe using geothermal heat. Almost every town has an outdoor pool with hot tubs, the “heitir pottar”, where people meet and chat. The hygiene rule is strict: before bathing, you shower thoroughly without swimwear, and staff often even check.
Bathing cultures as a guest: etiquette abroad
If you try an unfamiliar bathing culture on holiday, a few basic rules will help you feel more confident. The most important points at a glance:
| Country | What to watch out for |
|---|---|
| Finland | Shower first, don't take charge of the infusion without asking |
| Turkey, Morocco | The cloth around your hips stays on, agree on treatments in advance |
| Japan | Wash seated first, towel stays out of the pool, tattoos often only allowed if covered or not at all |
| South Korea | Naked in the bathing area, provided clothing in the communal area |
| Iceland | Shower thoroughly without swimwear before entering the pool |
| Germany | Saunas mostly textile-free, place your towel under your whole body |
How German sauna culture works in detail is explained in our article Sauna etiquette: towel rules. If you have health questions, it is best to check with a doctor before intense heat or hot springs.
What all bathing cultures have in common
- Clean first, then into the bath: Almost everywhere, people wash before entering the pool or the heat.
- Heat and cooling: The alternation between hot and cold runs from Rome to Finland to Russia.
- Calm: Whether in an onsen or a relaxation room – bathing almost always means slowing down.
- Community: Baths were and are places where people meet, talk or sit together in silence.
- A cloth: Whether peshtemal, small cotton towel or seat cover – almost every bathing culture has its own textile.
One towel for (almost) every bathing culture
The hammam towel is the textile that travels most easily between bathing cultures: it is large enough to lie on in the sauna, can be wrapped around the hips in the hammam and takes up hardly any space in your suitcase. The SULTAN hammam towel is handmade on the Aegean coast of Turkey, measures approx. 180 × 100 cm and weighs only around 270 g. For Japan, or as a small towel for face and hair, the Diamant mini hammam towel at approx. 90 × 45 cm is a good fit. And if you want to give a hammam towel as a travel souvenir, the Towel To Go comes in a round gift box.
Related reading: Types of Sauna at a Glance: From Finnish to Steam Bath · Sauna terms explained: the glossary from infusion to venik · New Year's swim: what to bring for your plunge into cold water
Conclusion
Whether Finnish sauna, banya, hammam, onsen, jjimjilbang or thermal bath: the bathing cultures of the world differ in temperature, water and ritual, but follow the same basic ideas – go in clean, enjoy the warmth, cool off, rest. If you bathe abroad, respect for local rules will see you through anywhere. And a light hammam towel in your luggage fits almost every one of these traditions.
Frequently asked questions
Which bathing culture is the oldest?
Sweat baths and public baths have existed since antiquity in many regions at the same time. Well documented are, for example, Greek and Roman baths as well as early sweat lodges in Northern Europe and Central America.
What is the difference between an onsen and a sento?
An onsen is fed by a natural hot spring, while a sento is a public bathhouse with heated tap water. The bathing rules are similar.
Do you wear swimwear in a hammam?
Traditionally, you wear the peshtemal around your hips; women often also wear a top or bikini. Swimwear is usually allowed in hammams aimed at tourists.
What is a jjimjilbang?
A Korean bathhouse with separate bathing areas and a shared area with heated rooms, places to lie down and food, often open around the clock.
Which towel should I take when travelling?
A hammam towel is light, takes up little space and dries quickly. For small uses a mini hammam towel is enough; to lie on, choose one of around 180 × 100 cm.
Personally written by Martin – founder of BeachAndSteam and sauna operator at Lake Kulkwitz for more than 18 years.