Only in Japan - Maxicut

Continue reading →

Suicide in the Japanese tradition
As we already wrote, the death – a special category in Japan. In the history of Japan, it is not always perceived as something terrible, and as a matter of…

Continue reading →

Saunas Pools Volgograd

In Finland, Estonia and Latvia, and in Russia, the sauna is an ancient custom. Previously, it was a Holy place where women gave birth, and the bodies had to be washed. Folk customs and traditions . omens and superstitions associated with the sauna, there are in each country. Among other things, the sauna was the place of worship of the dead: it was believed that there is so good that even the dead would like to return. Treatment of diseases and love spells could also happen in the sauna.

As in many other cultures, in Finland, the fire was considered a gift from the gods, so the hearth and the sauna were often his altars. In Finnish language there is a word (löyly), strictly connected with the sauna. It means the warmth of the sauna and steam which is formed when poured on the hot stones with water. Originally this word meant spirit or life. In many languages related to Finnish, there is a similar word that shows: folk customs and traditions of different peoples are related. For example, the Estonian word “leil”. The same word meaning “spirit” exists in the Latvian language. Another example is the word “lil” on dialect of Ostyak, which means “soul”, pointing to an old, spiritual essence of the sauna. There still exists an old saying “in the sauna as in Church”.

«Saunatonttu”, literally translated sauna elf, is a little gnome or a protective spirit, who is believed to live in the sauna. It is always treated with respect, otherwise he could bring people a lot of trouble. Many folk customs and traditions are connected with it. It was good practice to warm up the sauna just to please Tonto, or to leave some food on the doorstep. It was believed that the spirit will warn people, if in the sauna, catch on fire, or punish those who “immoral” behaved there – for example, slept, played cards, argued, or fussed.

Such creatures are believed to be have in different cultures. In the Russian bath there is a completely identical character, whose name is “swab”. He is often depicted as a little hairy old man. Spirit prankster loves scaring people, knocking on walls, to burn with boiling water or throw stones in the oven. In order to appease the Bannik, you need to leave him bread and salt. It was also thought that if on Maundy Thursday to bury under the porch of a bath of a black hen, the spirit no longer naughty. The Bannik in the form of a woman called Abdelhay (also in the image of a hairy old women or cats), or a Truck. The truck pretended to be a man, show those who came with bad intentions, lured to the bath and could steamed to death.

Interesting folk customs and traditions of Japan associated with a sauna. They also have the spirit of the sauna, his name is Akanuma (literally “red dirt”). He represented fear of the dark. It was believed that Akadama went out at night to lick the dirt accumulated in the sauna, baths and basins. If after this man bathes in a tub, then get sick. Scientists believe that so expressed the people-watching that you need to keep clean. In Thailand, women spend month after the baby is born in a makeshift tent established in the sauna. In pairs, as a rule, different herbs. It is believed that the sauna helps the body a new mom can get back to their normal state.

In Turkey there are also saunas since ancient times and are called hamams. Like other peoples, the Turks believed that the sauna can be cleansed from unclean spirits. In addition in Turkey there are many religious customs related to sauna. Although folk superstitions about saunas and have their own characteristics, mainly they are similar: sauna allows you to clean not only body but also spirit, come out of there fully updated.

Festival of national traditions in Khabarovsk
In November 2013, a ceremonial reception hall of the Azerbaijan restaurant "Ali" gathered mothers of various Nations to participate in the Festival of national traditions, dedicated to mother's day and…


The Pension in Japan and the lifestyles of Japanese seniors
Public pension in Japan was introduced from 1942 the Name of the public she received, as only a third were subsidized by the government. The remaining two-thirds were contributions of…

Continue reading →