A series showcasing Toyota's activities in non-automotive fields. Who is ready for a Toyota sauna?
Starting with the familiar
Harvia’s head of innovation and technology, who made the trip from Finland, extolled the virtues of using hydrogen.
Timo Harvia, Head of Innovation and Technology, Harvia
With the sauna market being a diverse sector, we are truly delighted that we can offer hydrogen as a sustainable option alongside conventional wood-fired, electric, and gas models. The feedback from our team has been very positive, and we appreciate the way this has expanded the possibilities for saunas.
We also spoke with a representative from the Central Finland Mobility Foundation (Cefmof).
Cefmof is a non-profit, set up in 2024 as a joint effort between the City of Jyväskylä, TGR-WRT, and the Toyota Mobility Foundation, with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality and a sustainable society.
“Japanese summers are very mushi mushi,” commented a smiling Lauri Perämäki, referring to the sticky humidity. Slung over one shoulder was a hydrogen cartridge, a simple solution for transporting hydrogen that borrows storage technologies from the Mirai fuel cell vehicle.
Lauri Perämäki, Deputy Executive Director, Cefmof
When I first saw the steam heating technology in a hydrogen cooker, I thought, “This could be a great innovation for saunas!” and immediately called Harvia to start development.
Three things are crucial for establishing a hydrogen society: offering experiences linked to everyday life, sparking innovation, and building an ecosystem. We want to start small and create more recipes for success that can be adopted in countries and regions beyond Jyväskylä.
This sentiment is echoed by Toyota.
Project Manager Nakamura
It’s important to use hydrogen for things that are dear to many people in that particular country. We believe this helps in creating a widespread ecosystem.
On the day of the sauna exhibit, even the mayor of Jyväskylä was in Japan. “Finland and Japan have many cultural similarities,” says Mayor Timo Koivisto. “I’m pleased to see that saunas are well-loved in Japan.”
As it happens, the day before we spoke, the Hanshin Tigers had clinched the league title in professional baseball.
Fans celebrated by leaping into Osaka’s Dotonbori River. In Finland too, people are known to leap into lakes and fountains when their favorite ice hockey team wins. Cultural similarities indeed!
Yet when it comes to saunas, there are also some big differences...
Sauna meetings
Joonas Hintikka, R&D engineer, Harvia
When I visited a sauna at a Japanese hotel, I was surprised to see that Japanese people don’t talk in the sauna. They sit there enduring the heat in silence (laughs).
In Japan, many sauna users come to relieve stress or fatigue, but in Finland, we enjoy the conversation. There are no clocks, so we never worry about the time. But I was amazed by how hot Japanese baths are (laughs).
At the Expo pavilion, the exhibit description noted that “Finland has more saunas than cars”—if you include those at vacation homes and workplaces, the average is three per household.
Hang on—saunas at work?!
Päivi Juolahti, Head of Marketing and Brands, Harvia
Sometimes we hold our meetings in the sauna. If we hit a dead end in the conference room, we carry on in the sauna, then finish up after we get out.
As it turns out, this joint project also included some sauna meetings. As Toyota’s Nakamura recalls with a laugh, “WePeople asked discussed questions in the sauna, and we stayed in there for a full 40 minutes until we reached a conclusion.” Talk about a candid conversation.
The partnership held other surprises as well.
Project Manager Nakamura
The Harvia team makes quick decisions without the need for meetings. Any issues that arise are solved swiftly in the genba. For a non- company that isn’t a startup, their projects move forward with speed was incredible speed.
Part of that comes down to Finland’s small population. The country is roughly the same size as Japan, but the population is less than 5% of ours. You have to get things done with a small select few. Compact communication, fast decision-making.
On the other hand, every morning and midday the whole team gets together for a coffee break. In the evenings they head home, valuing the time spent with family and friends, and outdoors in nature.
We learned a lot from how the Finns approach work.
Hydrogen saunas offer many unique charms, such as steady mist without having to constantly pour water on the stones to create löyly. This aspect drew excited comments from those who came to see the exhibit.
“Without the vapor drying out your mouth, it would be a lot easier to chat inside the sauna! I’d be able to enjoy my beloved saunas for longer!” remarked one visitor. There is a lot to look forward to with hydrogen saunas.
We also reported on this project for a past episode of Toyota Times News, which featured Vice President Nakajima jumping from the sauna into a lake! Check out the video for a look inside Toyota’s hydrogen sauna.
