Celebration of Sauna Life：Event Report
As the Osaka–Kansai Expo approaches its closing, the “Celebration of Sauna Life” event was held this past weekend.
This event marked the final official program hosted by Finland, with the theme of “sauna” at its core—symbolizing cultural exchange between Japan and Finland.
Rather than treating sauna as merely a bathing custom, Celebration of Sauna Life positioned it as a platform to reconsider well-being and the relationship between individuals and society, through a diverse conference program.
A Multilayered Conference on Sauna and Well-being
The event brought together a wide range of speakers, including sauna culture researchers, well-being specialists, and practitioners from sauna facilities. Through talk sessions, panel discussions, and hands-on experiences, the program explored sauna from multiple angles.
Discussions began by examining the essential role and social significance of sauna. In Finland, sauna has a long history not only as a place to warm the body but also as a space for mental reset and interpersonal dialogue. In Japan, sauna culture has recently experienced a boom alongside the popular term totonou (a state of harmony and clarity), drawing attention as a deeper practice of physical and mental alignment.
What Japan and Finland share are core values of living in harmony with nature and balancing mind and body. Many speakers emphasized the importance of harnessing these shared values to expand the role of sauna as a place for restoring well-being within urban environments.
The atmosphere throughout the venue was both calm and vibrant—a unique, “sauna-like” ambience that perfectly matched the theme.
Cultural Exchange through Sauna
Throughout the sessions, lively cultural exchange between Japan and Finland unfolded through the lens of sauna.
Finnish speakers introduced the history and philosophy behind their traditional sauna culture, while Japanese participants shared examples of how sauna is finding new roles in modern society, including its connection to local communities.
During the Q&A session, numerous questions came from the audience, sparking organic cross-cultural conversations. It was impressive to see how a shared cultural practice—sauna—can deepen mutual understanding of each country’s values and lifestyles.
Special Program: Noh Performance
One of the most striking segments of the event came in the latter half: a unique collaboration between sauna and traditional Japanese performing arts—Noh.
Renowned Noh performer Keisuke Shiotsu took the stage to perform the classical dance pieces Takasago and Hagoromo. The performance, with its interplay of stillness and movement, light and shadow, immediately filled the hall with a profound and dignified atmosphere.
For many in the audience, this was their first time witnessing Noh, making it a culturally significant and memorable experience.
In the subsequent talk session, Shiotsu shared:
“There is no single correct way to experience Noh. It becomes a moment for each person to engage in an inner dialogue.”
He went on to highlight the parallels between Noh and sauna:
“Both Noh and sauna are experiences where one turns inward in silence—not to ‘receive’ something from outside, but to sense what is within oneself.”
This reflection resonated deeply with attendees, demonstrating how traditional performing arts and modern well-being culture can intersect to create new layers of meaning.
Sauna as a Cultural Crossroad
Celebration of Sauna Life served as a precious opportunity for Japanese and Finnish values and perspectives to intersect through sauna.
Rooted in their shared ethos of “living in harmony with nature,” the event offered a space to reconsider both physical and mental well-being—suggesting new possibilities for future international cultural exchange and community development.
More than just a passing trend, sauna is emerging as a medium that connects people, cultures, and ideas.
This event left participants with a sense of the potential future where sauna plays a meaningful role in bridging societies.