Greetings from Sompasauna in Helsinki. Today we visit with Yana who takes us through her deep connection to sauna, from Aufguss at the large public saunas in Germany, to the Danish Sauna Association, and now with her employment with Studio Puisto, a Helsinki based architectural firm that focuses on sustainable hospitality and sauna design. Here we have a look at their new commercial sauna project Saunaravintola, Northeast of Tampere, Finland.
Sompasauna
To be able to Sauna Talk is one thing, and to be able to Sauna Talk on the bench is another. And today, it was a treat to be Sauna Talk with Yana by the shores of the brackish Baltic Sea at Sompasauna, the world’s only free public sauna open to all at any time day or night.
Sauna Aid
Yana shares with us the origins of Sauna-Aid, and her involvement with the initiative. The brainchild behind it, and the relationship with the organizations like the International Sauna Association.*
Yana introduced herself to me at this year’s World Sauna Forum in Tampere, Finland, along with Heikki Riitahuhta, Partner with Studio Puisto. We later met up for sauna in Helsinki. Hearing her story compelled me to bring out the recorder, and share her love and passion with you. Yana is part of a young generation of sauna enthusiasts. And, like many of us, Yana is motivated to more than just enjoy time on the sauna bench.
Sauna-Aid Participating organizations:
Japan Sauna Spa Association, Lithuanian Bath Academy, Association of Professional Bathmasters, British Sauna Society, Finnish Sauna Society, Polish Sauna Society, German Sauna Association, Norwegian Sauna Society, Danish Sauna Association, Finnish Embassy in Poland, North American Sauna Society, Swedish Sauna Academy, New Zealand Sauna Society, The Australian Sweat Bathing Association, Finnland-Institut Berlin, Austrian Sauna Society, and the Czech Sauna Association. (More organizations to follow.)
6 thoughts on “Sauna Talk: Yana Kaiser, Aufguss and sauna enthusiast”
Hi Glenn,
I’m in the process of building a mobile sauna and I’d like to turn it into a business. The building side of it is not so complex to me – it is more the regulations. My biggest concern is: are you required to have a CDL to transport a mobile sauna? Thanks, I’ve been reading all over this site during my research.
Well, a lot of the regulations depend upon where you live. The 612 Sauna Society, for example, was spearheaded in Minneapolis (a place that loves rules and regulations) by JP and a small tribe of dedicated enthusiasts who just went for it, and navigated through all the regulatory BS in a spirit of asking for permission and not forgiveness. And this was many years ago when sauna was much less popular and accepted than it is today.
So, Jon, I applaud you being pioneer in your community. You are sharing wellness, and good on you for that. And no dynamic pricing.
Hey Glenn,
Would love to see you document a sauna/bath house pilgrimage through Germany! Love the content you are creating, keep up the great sauna journalism.
Thanks Kevin:
That’s a great idea. As you heard on this podcast, the public sauna bathhouses in Germany are quite extensive. And note to whoever may be going on a sauna tour: the need for more than the bare minimum of a change of clothes or your AirBnBs or hotels to have showers is nonexistent.
Hey Glenn, big fan of yours from day one, thanks for all you do. I have many years of sauna experience and home construction. I’m a graduate of Building Performance Institute, building as a system. Just built my first back yard sauna by the book, sized right, insulated right, Kuuma fired. Hot room is 8 x 10, mid sized Kuuma. Something is not quite right, The best temp I can achieve without over firing the stove (slightly red glow) is 165, 170. Any thought or advice. Thank you Glenn.
Hi Brad:
Ok, let me help with this! 8×10 hot room and Medium Kuuma is the same size and stove as the 612 Society Sauna and it gets up to 190f – 200f consistently.
I’ll email you separately as the “Sauna Dr.” wants to help solve this problem!
Check this post here, and please comment below the post for more.