ASBA is a proud member of the International Sauna Association (ISA). The ISA is a global organisation with representation from over 20 member countries, and was founded in 1956 to preserve and promote sauna culture worldwide.
The founding members of the ISA are Finland, Germany, Austria, and Japan, who each maintain a seat on the executive board. The statutes of the ISA were first declared in 1956, and the association was formalized in 1977 Its bylaws were most recently updated in 2012.
The ISA bylaws (6.2) stipulate that a country can have only one official member. For Australia, this member is ASBA.
ASBA was accepted as the ISA’s 21st member in October 2016. We now carry the flame for Australia in the international sauna community. See below for the relevant section of the ASBA Constitution, which declares our commitment to the goals of the ISA.
The ISA hosts an international congress every four years. The next congress takes place in Sweden, June 7-10, 2018.
For more information about the ISA, visit the ISA website, or keep reading.
Contents
A Short History of the ISA
Logo of the International Sauna Assocation
The International Sauna Association was established in 1956, but it moved slowly for the first two decades. The original headquarters of the ISA was in Germany, but was moved to Helsinki in 1977 (within the headquarters of the Finnish Sauna Society), where it remains today.
The Finnish Sauna Society (Suomen Sauna-Seura) is oldest national sauna association, and was founded in 1937 to preserve and promote sauna in Finland under a wave of technological and social change. There first president of the society was H. J. Viherjuuri, who wrote a short book about sauna that sold thousands of copies in multiple languages.
Germany was the other major force in the early years of the ISA, with the Deutscher Sauna-Bund being formed in 1947 and gained national registration in 1949, led by Dr Werner Fritzsche. Their aims sum up the nature of such national associations, namely:
to spread the idea of sauna bathing in Germany, to promote scientific research and technological progress in the area of sauna, and to advise all members of the association about sauna practice and sauna-cabin building, supporting them with a range of services.
– Deutscher Sauna-Bund
The Deutscher Sauna-Bund is still a thriving association to this day, with regular publications for members, a national sauna day (September 24), and even a Saunameister world championship!
Similar associations were created elsewhere (including Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, and Japan), and in 1956 the first international sauna meeting was held in Bielefeld, Germany, hosted by the German, Swiss, and Austrian associations. Statutes were drawn up for a proposed international association. Another meeting was held in Helsinki in 1958, with representatives from more countries in attendance, at which the first executive board was elected.
Further congresses were held in Salzburg (1962), Munich (1966 and 1970), and again in Helsinki (1974). The Helsinki congress was a particular catalyst, leading to a published book as well as the final formalization of the International Sauna Association. The proceedings were compiled into an English language volume called Sauna Studies (1976), which hoped to launch a new era in sauna research. Sadly it remains the only published volume of its kind. The ISA has held more successful congresses (especially Aachen in 1999; most recently in Vilnius, 2014).
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* The above information is adapted from pp. 48-53 of Tsonis (2016) and the ISA website. A fuller reconstruction of the history of the ISA and its members would require archival research and oral history in multiple countries. ASBA is working with the ISA to pursue such documentation. For more, see our sauna research page.
Goals of the International Sauna Association
The following excerpt is taken from Article 4 of the ISA Bylaws:
Article 4
1. With the assistance of supporters of sauna activities in various countries the International Sauna Association shall pursue the goals of propagating the sauna and of promoting its use at global level.
2. All measures suitable to serve this goal shall be used to pursue this goal,
a. acceptance of the sauna definition documented in Aachen, Germany on 08-05-1999,
b. to promote scientific studies of the sauna with aspects such as its social history, folklore, medicine and technology,
c. with special focus on the collection and compilation in archives containing the results of scientific studies
d. to disseminate facts and results on the sauna, its characteristics and its significance for its users,
e. to protect the sauna from adverse changes of any kind.
The Official ISA Definition of Sauna
One of the ISA’s most pressing concerns is to promote a specific definition of sauna, specifically “acceptance of the sauna definition documented in Aachen, Germany on 08-05-1999” (ISA Bylaws 4.2.a). This definition is recorded in a currently unpublished Finnish/German document called Kansainvälisen Saunaliiton saunan määrittely / Definition der Sauna. Below are the German and Finnish definitions, as excerpted from the document:
German version
Saunabad:
Das Saunabad ist ein gesundheitsförderndes und entspannendes Heissluftbad, in dem Ûberwärmung und Abkühlung einander abwechseln. Dabei wird in einem Raum aus Holz, mit einem typischen Klima von etwa 80-105 Grad C ca. 100 cm über der obersten Bank, sowie einer geringen durch Aufgüsse kurzfristig erhöhten Luftfeuchte, der ganze Körper mehrmalig erwärmt und anschliessend durch Aussenluft und kaltes Wasser abgekühlt.
Saunaraum:
Der Saunaraum ist ein Raum aus Holz mit aufsteigenden Stufenbänken und mit dem durch einen typischerweise steingefüllten Saunaofen festgelegten Raumklima von etwa 80-105 Grad C ca. 100 cm über der obersten Bank/sowie einer geringen Luftfeuchtigkeit, welche durch Aufgüsse kurzfristig erhöht wird.
Finnish version
Saunakylpy:
Saunominen on terveellistä ja rentouttavaa kuumailmakylpyä, lämmittelyn ja vilvoittelun vuorottelua. Saunottaessa lämmitetään koko keho useita kertoja puupintaisessa huoneessa, jonka tyypillinen lämpötila on n. 80-105 º C mitattuna noin 100 cm:n korkeudelta laudetason yläpuolelta. Lämmittelyä seuraa vilvoittelu ulkoilmassa tai kylmällä vedellä.
Saunahuone:
Sauna on puupintainen huone, jossa on porrastetut lauteet, tyypillisesti kivillä varustettu kiuas, lämpötilaltaan noin 80-105º C mitattuna n. 100 cm:n korkeudelta laudetason yläpuolelta sekä vähäinen ilmankosteus, jota lyhytaikaisesti lisätään löylyä heittämällä.
Note on English translation
At present, there is no official translation of the ISA definition of sauna. It is hoped that something can be endorsed soon. See below.
ASBA’s definition
In lieu of an official English-language definition of sauna from the ISA, the ASBA Constitution (2.3) currently contains the following definition of sauna, which is adapted from the above Finnish/German definition but rendered slightly differently:
Sauna can have the following meanings:
(i) n.1 a type of hot-air bath that typically takes place in a wooden room with wooden benches (at different heights if space permits), with a typical temperature range of 70º-110º C., heated by wood fire, electricity, or gas; most saunas also containing dense igneous rocks heated by the stove, upon which water is poured via ladle in order to increase humidity and create a deeply pleasurable sensation by enveloping the body in clouds of hot vapour. This type of bath is sometimes described as Traditional Sauna, as opposed to the post-industrial infrared variety.
(ii) n.2 the sauna room, as in “Armed with towel, bucket, and ladle, they stepped into the sauna”.
(iii) n.3 the act of having a sauna bath, typically with indefinite article, as in “I had a great sauna after work last night”, or the traditional Finnish proverb, “The human body is never as beautiful as thirty minutes after a sauna”.
(iv) n.4 sauna bathing as an abstract or generalized activity, as in “Sauna is good for you”.
(v) v.1 the act of sauna bathing, typically the infinitive, as in “Do you sauna?”.
Sauna Bathing
means the act of using a sauna, in which the body is heated and then cooled in repeating fashion, the heat typically being between 70º-110º C., the cooling ideally taking place with very cold water.
Note on Infrared Sauna
Although the term “infrared sauna” has widespread global usage, the ISA does not recognise infrared heating cabins as saunas in the official definition endorsed in Aachen 1999 (see above). This is somewhat controversial to the extent that it enforces a traditional definition of sauna, and because infrared heating cabins appear to have a similar physiological effect (even if they feel very different at a sensory level). Many people around the world take no heed of the ISA’s position (indeed most people are not aware of it), and market forces are radically expanding global use of the term “infrared sauna”, so this is a point of considerable interest for the international sauna community to monitor.
ASBA is preparing a fuller statement on infrared sauna, so be sure to check back here soon. If you have a professional or personal question about the issue, feel free to email us at info@asbasweat.org and we will be happy to engage.
ASBA and the ISA
The following is from Section 4 of the ASBA Constitution:
4. Declaration as Joining Member of the International Sauna Association
Following the goals under clause 3, one of ASBA’s primary objectives is to link Australia with the global sauna community by applying to become a joining member of the International Sauna Association (ISA). We are proud to record that ASBA’s membership was confirmed in October 2016.
We are the twenty-first member of the International Sauna Association. As a joining member, ASBA makes the following declarations:
4.1 ASBA declares allegiance with the ISA (and all ISA member associations) in pursuit of the goals stipulated in Article 4 of the ISA Bylaws, which we paraphrase as follows:
4.1.1 to propagate the use and enjoyment of sauna at a global level;
4.1.2 to promote the definition of sauna established at the ISA Congress in Aachen, Germany, on August 5, 1999, an English reformulation of which is at sub-clause 2.3 above with respect to Sauna (n.1) and Sauna Bathing, modelled on the unpublished bilingual Finnish-German document Kansainvälisen Saunaliiton saunan määrittely / Definition der Sauna furnished to ASBA by the ISA;
4.1.3 to promote scientific health studies and other academic research into the practice, culture, history, and technology of sauna;
4.1.4 to assist with efforts to systematize sauna research into well-organised and publicly accessible archives;
4.1.5 to disseminate the results of such studies to as wide an audience as possible, both locally and globally;
4.1.6 to promote, protect, and perpetuate the practice of traditional sauna, especially in publicly accessible facilities;
4.2 ASBA declares a particularly energetic focus on 4.1.3-5 above (promotion, facilitation, and systematization of sauna research), congruent with the goals under 3.16-21 above;
4.3 ASBA declares its intention to be an active participant in the quadrennial ISA International Congress, including sending a formal delegation to every congress, helping with organisation where possible, and offering to host the congress both as soon as feasible after joining and in regular rotating fashion thenceforth.
ISA Member Associations
The following list is copied from the website of the International Sauna Association (current Jan 2018):
National member associations
FINLAND
Finnish Sauna Society – Suomen Saunaseura ry.
Vaskiniementie 10
FIN-00200 Helsinki
Finland
Tel: +358 50 371 8178
E-mail: tj(at)sauna.fi
Internet: www.sauna.fi
President: Tuomas Lehtonen
Founding member
GERMANY
Deutscher Sauna-Bund e.V.
Meisenstrasse 83
D-33602 Bielefeld Germany
Tel: +49 521 966790
E-mail: info(at)sauna-bund.de
Internet: www.sauna-bund.de
President : Prof. Carsten Sonnenberg
CEO : Rolf-A. Pieper
Founding member
AUSTRIA
Österreichissches Saunaforum
Druck & Versand Suite No. Nr. 130
Triester Str. 10/3/301
2351 Wiener Neudorf Austria
Tel: +43 664 9712814
E-mail: office(at)saunaforum.at
pj(at)jeitler.at
Internet: http://www.saunaforum.at
President: Peter Jeitler
Founding member
JAPAN
Japan Sauna Spa Association
907 ULS Ichigaya. 4-8-30
Kudanminami
Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 102 – 0074 JAPAN
Tel: +81 3 5275 1541
Contact: Mikio Wakaybashi
E-mail: jimukyoku(at)sauna.or.jp
Internet: www.sauna.or.jp
President: Mr. Kenichi Nakano
Founding member
NORWAY
Badstuforbundet i Norge
7113 Husbysjöen Norway
Tel: + 47 90042799
E-mail. Taaune(at)online.no
Internet: https://www.facebook.com/Badstuforbundet-i-Norge-182517591809505/
Internet: http://www.badstuforbundet.no/
President: Tor Anders Aune
National member
LITHUANIA
Lithuanian Bath Academy
Naugarduko 91-319
Vilnius 03201 Lithuania
Tel: +370 68711601
E-mail: rimas(at)pirtis.lt , info(at)pirtis.lt
Internet: http://www.pirtis.lt
Internet: www.lambasting.org
President : Rimas Kavaliauskas
National member
USA
North American Sauna Society
30 Florence Ave.
Fiskhill , NY 12524
United States of America
Tel: +1 914 500 8541
E-mail: info(at)saunasociety.org
Internet: www.saunasociety.org
President: Eero Kilpi
National member
BELGIUM
Saunaverening Belgie ( SVB) – Sauna Association Belgium
Lange Meire 1a
B 9270 Laarne Belgium
Tel: + 32 95 59 45
E-mail: tine(at)thermae.com
info(at)svb.be
Internet: www.svb.be
President: Tine Van Der Zypen
National member
SWEDEN
Svenska Bastuakademien
Kukkolaforsen 184
S-95391 Haparanda
Sweden
Tel: +46706675578
E-mail svante(at)spolander.com
Internet: www.bastuakademien.se
President: Göran Honkamaa
National member
DENMARK
Det Danske Saunaselskab
Vildtbaneparken 74 D
DK 2635 Ishöj
Denmark
Tel: +4522990493
E-Mail : detdanskesaunaselskab(at)gmail.com
Internet: www.saunaselskab.dk
Kim Pedersen
E-mail: Kimp85(at)gmail.com
President: Michael Besnier Jensen
National member
POLAND
Polish Sauna Society / Polski Zeazeck Saunowy
Olzankowa 51
05-120 Legonowo
Poland
Tel: +48507005780
E-mail: pkoper(at)pzs.org.pl
Internet: www.pzs.org.pl
President : Pjotr Koper
National member
KENYA
Sauna Club of Kenya
PO BOX 24862-00505
Nairobi
Kenya
E-mail: saunaclubofkenya (at)gmail.com,gt.innovations(at)gmail.com
President: Reijo Hakanen
National member
UK
British Sauna Society
91 Oriel Road
E95SG London
Great Britain
Tel: +447979005948
E-mail: info(at)britishsaunasociety.org.uk
Internet: www.britishsaunasociety.com
President Mika Meskanen
National member
NEW ZEALAND
New Zealand Sauna Society
PO Box 104013
Lincoln North
Auckland 0654
NEW ZEALAND
E-mail: nzsaunasociety(at)gmail.com
Internet: www.nzsauna.com
President Bede Burgoyne
National member
MONGOLIA
Encanto Complex
4th Floor Encanto town
Ulan Baatar
Mongolia
Tel: +976 – 7707 3034
E-mail: import1(at)orgil.mn
Contact::Burenjargal or bill(at)mail.com
Internet: www.encantosportcomplex.mn
Supporting/national member
ITALY
Associazone Italiana Saune Aufguss
Via IV Novembre 315
37126 Verona
Italy
Tel: 0039-340-9285157
E-mail: info (at)aisa.it
Christine Rose , Mario Santini
Internet: www.aisa.it
National member
AUSTRALIA
The Australian Sweat Bathing Association (ASBA)
113 Lincoln St
BELFIELD
NSW 2191
AUSTRALIA
Tel: +61 412 414 476
E-mail: info(at)asbasweat.org
Dr. Jack Tsonis
Internet: www.ASBAsweat.org
National member
NETHERLANDS
Suomen Log House
E-G Weg 8
9636HX Zuidbeoek
NETHERLANDS
Tel: 0031 598450767
E-mail: info(at)suomenloghouse.nl
K van Donderen
Internet: www.suomenloghouse.nl
National member
BASQUE COUNTRY
Euskal Herriko Saunazaleen “Bero-bero” elkartea, Basque Sauna Association
Marduxarra 6
E-20749 Arroa Behea (Gipuzkoa)
Basque Country (Spain)
Tel: +34 619 402 174
E-mail: joseba(at)bakun-itzulpenak.net
Internet: www.saunaelkartea.eus/
Contact Joseba Ossa
Supporting/national member
RUSSIA
S-VSL ( The Scool of V.S. Liakhov)
Leninsky av. 121/1 building No 2
Moscow
Russian Federation
Tel: +7 926 381 0049
E-mail: kudesnik-m7(at)yandex.ru
Internet: www.s-vsl.su , www.parenije.ru
President: Vasily Liakhov
Supporting/national member
ISA supporting members
GEM Co. Ltd KOBE Sauna & Spa
02-102-Chome
CHUO-KU
650 – 0011 KOBE
Japan
E-mail: ogasawara(at)gem-kobe.jp
Internet: www.kobe-sauna.co.jp
President: Atsushi Yoneda
Supporting member
WELLBE Co. Ltd
3-27-33 Sakae, Naka-ku,
Nagoya-City, Aichi
460-0008
Japan
Tel: +81 52 261 1401
E-mail; y_yoneda (at)wellbe.co.jp
Internet: www.wellbe.co.jp
President: Yukitaka Yoneda
Supporting member
METOS Inc
6-61-1 Tsukiji Bldg.
Tsukiji , Chuoku
Tokyo
Japan
Tel. +81-3-3542 0332
E-mail: import (at)metos.co.jp
Internet: http://metos.co.jp/english/
Sho Yoshinaga
Seiichi Hagihara
Supporting member
Organising Committee of Asia Pool and Spa Expo
Room 401, the Third Street of Kehui , Kexue Avenue
Science City , Luogang District
Guangzhou
China
Tel: +86-20-22074185 , mob +86.13416279371
E-mail: grandeurhk(at)yeah.net
Internet: www.poolspabathchina.com
contact Jacob Kong
Supporting member
Shenzhen Keya Sauna & Swimming Pool Equipment Co. Ltd
Keya Industrial Park , Qigang village, Ionxi Town, Boluo
Huizhou City , Guangdong Province
China
Tel: +86 13829955819
Skype keyasauna1997
E-mail: info(at)szcoasts.com
Internet: www.szcoasts.com
CEO Victor Wang
Shenzen Keya Sauna
Supporting member
SAWO NORDIC OY
Hampuntie 18
36220 Kangasala
Finland
Tel: +358 (0) 207 353 818
E-mail: info(at)sawo.com
Internet: www.sawo.com , www.sawo.fi
President Veli-Veikko Kallioniemi
E-mail: vm.kallioniemi(at)sawo.com
Supporting member
saunitas globali amici
If you want to become part of this international network, then join ASBA. We even accept members from other countries, so if your country is not represented, we are happy to accept you into our ranks if you are keen to be involved in the international conversation.