THE BATHS

Right — down to the nitty-gritty. In a traditional Finnish sauna — don’t you dare go electric! — wood-burning stoves heat rocks that you throw water on to create löyly (steam). So far, so sweaty. The real fun comes when you accessorize — ideally with a vihta, a birch-twig whisk that you gently whip yourself with; it’s good for the skin, apparently. When you’re finished, cool off by going for a dip in a lake or the ocean. In a hammam, you sprawl across the göbek taşı and sweat in the steam before — and here’s where things get more hands-on than they do in a sauna or onsen — a masseur exfoliates you, washes you, then rubs you down. You’ll leave feeling like a pampered pasha. In an onsen, scrub yourself clean before entering the water. When you do, don’t splash or be rowdy, don’t let your hair touch the water (no one wants to see your sodden strands floating past), keep the small towel you’re given atop your head or poolside and, if you have tattoos, try to cover them, as many Japanese associate them with the yakuza, Japan’s version of the Mafia. A lot of “don’ts,” I know, but once you’ve sorted them, all you need do is have a good long soak and let the therapeutic water do its work.