Bringing the Finnish sauna tradition home to the Kootenays

How Becky and Juho Pelkonen turned a shared passion for sauna into a growing East Kootenay business

by Danielle Brost — September 28, 2026

three owners of Kamu Sauna standing together

Kamu Sauna’s partners, Niamh Murphy, Becky Pelkonen and Juho Pelkonen, are helping build sauna culture in the Kootenays and beyond. — Photo courtesy Kamu Sauna

Ask Becky Pelkonen about sauna and the conversation quickly goes beyond heat, cold plunges and wellness benefits. For Pelkonen and her husband, Juho, sauna is a cultural practice rooted in connection and community. Juho grew up in Finland helping his father build saunas, while Becky first encountered Finnish sauna culture as a student more than 20 years ago. In 2022, they brought those experiences together to launch Kamu Sauna in the East Kootenays, later welcoming Niamh Murphy as a partner.

What began with mobile sauna experiences has since expanded into custom builds, public and community projects, consulting and collaborations across Canada and beyond. Along the way, the partners have found that people are looking for places to gather, slow down and connect. That's the idea behind Kamu, the Finnish word for “friend,” and it's also the philosophy guiding the company's growth as sauna becomes increasingly popular across Canada.

Could you tell us a bit about yourselves, and how you got started in the sauna business?

For Juho, sauna has never been a trend or “wellness” practice, it has simply always been part of everyday life. Growing up in Finland, he helped build saunas alongside his father, learning both the craft and the culture that surrounds them. After more than a decade as a wildland firefighter in Canada, he found himself physically and mentally worn down. Returning to sauna felt like returning home, and he wanted to share that experience with his community.

For Becky, the journey began when she met Juho while studying in Finland over two decades ago. Experiencing authentic, community-rooted sauna culture for the first time as a student changed the way she thought about wellbeing. She was struck by the way sauna naturally brought people of different generations together in a space where everyone felt welcome and comfortable in their own bodies. Years later, as sauna began trending internationally, she realized just how special that experience had been. Today, alongside co-founding Kamu, she's a doctoral researcher at the University of Eastern Finland studying public sauna as community "third spaces," though her favourite part is still welcoming people into the sauna and watching them experience something new each first time.

Niamh first came to Kamu as part of the community and quickly fell in love with the way sauna brings people together. After injuries led her to cold water swimming and sauna, she discovered a new sense of wellbeing and purpose. Today, she leads Kamu's Fernie operations and helps create the warm, welcoming atmosphere that has become such a big part of the Kamu experience.

Together, we've never seen ourselves as simply being in the “sauna business”. We're in the business of building sauna culture and creating gathering places where people slow down, connect, and leave feeling better than when they arrived.

What does the name "Kamu" mean?

"Kamu" is the Finnish word for friend, and it perfectly reflects what we believe sauna is, and should be — a place where people feel welcome, where conversations happen naturally, and where community grows. Sauna has always been about people first, and that's how we approach everything we do. One Finnish saying we’ve heard goes: "The door is closed to keep the heat in, not people out."

In Finland, the kiuas, or sauna stove, is often described as the heart of the sauna…Every sauna has its own personality, and every time we step into one we're also a slightly different person. In that way, sauna is always there for us, both as a place to gather with friends and, in many ways, as a friend itself.

That's why Kamu felt like the perfect name. Fittingly, some of our closest friendships have also grown through the global sauna community - from the West Coast Sauna Summit in Vancouver (yes, it's a real thing!) to our work with Sauna from Finland and the World Sauna Forum in Finland. Sauna truly is a connector. It creates friendships, strengthens communities, and reminds us that we all need places to belong. We genuinely believe every neighbourhood deserves a sauna.

How did your backgrounds prepare you for this business?

Nothing can really prepare you for everything a sauna business throws at you! Really though, none of us set out to start a sauna company, but between us, we brought the right mix of experiences to make that possible.

Juho brings the culture and the craftsmanship. Growing up in Finland, sauna was simply part of everyday life. He learned to build saunas alongside his father, earned a Master's degree in marketing, later became a wildland firefighter, and understands both the technical side of creating an exceptional sauna and the traditions that make it so meaningful.

Becky brings a background in sustainable business, economic development, and regenerative tourism. Her work has always focused on how communities thrive, and she now researches public sauna as social infrastructure. She also has 15+ years yogic training through an Ashram and is being taught by sauna practitioners in Finland through many of the same values. Sauna brings together her passions for cultural stewardship, community-building, and solving complex problems in practical ways.

Niamh brings the human side of the experience. Her background in marketing, hospitality, storytelling, and community-building helps people feel immediately at ease. After discovering the restorative power of sauna and cold water immersion through her own recovery from injury, she now helps others experience that same sense of wellbeing.

Together, those backgrounds allow us to do far more than build saunas. We design meaningful experiences, create gathering places, and help communities rediscover the value of slowing down and connecting with one another. That's what Kamu has always been about.

For people who've never experienced an authentic Finnish sauna, what are they missing?

Honestly, they're missing something that's surprisingly ordinary. And that's where the magic is.

When we talk about sauna, we really mean three things: 1. the sauna itself, 2. löyly; the “steam” created by pouring water onto the hot stones (if you can't do that, it isn't really a sauna), and 3. the living culture that surrounds it. That culture naturally evolves wherever sauna takes root, even here in Canada.

What makes Finnish sauna unique is that it's a cultural practice the Finns have generously shared with the world. Many other sweat-bathing traditions have their own protocols and responsibilities, and the unique aspect of sauna is that it universally invites people in while simply asking us to also practice with respect.

In Finland, sauna isn't reserved for special occasions or luxury resorts — it's part of everyday life. It can be as ordinary as brushing your teeth or as meaningful as celebrating friendships, marking life's transitions, or finding comfort after a difficult week.

How is a traditional Finnish sauna different from what many Canadians think of as a sauna?

Well... this question has sparked a few friendly debates over the years! To a Finn, it's not really traditional Finnish sauna — it's just sauna. It's the only Finnish word that's found its way into almost every language in the world, so we simply enjoy sharing what that word has meant for generations.

We were recently told that Canadians shouldn't be told how to sauna any more than they should be told how to make sushi. We actually thought that was pretty funny... in more ways than one.

The reality is, we all learn from the people who came before us. Recipes, languages, woodworking…sauna is no different. It has been passed from generation to generation in Finland before being shared with the world.

For us, it's never been about saying there's only one "right" way to sauna. It's about understanding where the practice comes from so that, as it evolves, it doesn't lose the qualities that have made it meaningful for centuries.

The biggest misconception in Canada is that sauna is simply a hot room or another wellness trend. Finnish sauna is a living cultural practice — even recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. At its heart is löyly: pouring water onto hot stones, the rhythm of heating and cooling, meaningful time together, and, whenever possible, being immersed in nature.

And yes, we'll happily stand by this one: if you can't pour water on the rocks, it isn't really a sauna. Whether it's wood-fired, electric, or a traditional smoke sauna, löyly, or pouring water on the rocks, is what connects them all.
We hope Canadians first experience sauna the way Finns have known it for generations - and then make it their own while honoring the culture that so generously shared it with the world.

Yes, there are incredible health benefits, but we think sauna's greatest gift is something much harder to measure. It gives us permission to slow down, be present, and reconnect with ourselves, with one another, and with the natural world. That's the part people often don't realize they're missing until they've experienced it.

What has surprised you most since launching?

Without question, it's been the people.

We expected to build a local community through sauna. We never expected to become part of such an incredible global one so quickly. Through the World Sauna Forum, the West Coast Sauna Summit, and our work with Sauna from Finland, we've met some of the smartest, kindest, and most generous people we've ever known. What continues to surprise us is how quickly professional relationships become real friendships. We're not sure there are many industries where that feels completely natural, but there's something about sauna that helps people show up as themselves.

We've seen the same thing here in the Kootenays. More than anything, we've been surprised by how naturally people begin caring for one another when they're given a well-held space to gather.

Why do you think sauna culture is becoming so popular in Canada?

Our “hot take” is that we're living through a time when people are craving things that feel real.

We're more connected than ever digitally, yet many people feel increasingly disconnected from each other, from nature, and even from themselves. Sauna offers that rare invitation to slow down — and it feels so darn good. “The presence is the present.” People often come because they've heard about the health benefits, but they quickly discover something deeper: better sleep, a calmer mind, greater presence, and the social, emotional, and even spiritual benefits of gathering together.

Canadians already have so much of what sauna asks of us. We love winter, lakes, mountains, cabins, campfires, and spending time outdoors. Sauna feels less like something foreign and more like something that naturally belongs here.

Around the world, public sauna is becoming as much a part of a neighbourhood as a gym or café. We believe Canada is just beginning its own public sauna story, and we're excited to help build it.

How has Kamu Sauna evolved since opening in 2022?

When we started Kamu, we were very strategic about choosing activities that would support our mission: helping build sauna culture in Canada while honouring the traditions that have shaped it for generations.

We started intentionally in the East Kootenays hosting mobile sauna experiences in Ta Ta Creek, Kimberley, Cranbrook, and Fernie, because we wanted to build culture before building scale. Those sessions naturally led to requests for custom sauna construction, experience design, culturally grounded programming, public sauna consulting, speaking, and community development projects. Early on, we partnered with a construction company in Edmonton that shared our values to meet this demand..

Now, people are finding us from across Canada. It's allowed us to grow a values-led business without compromising what matters most. Kamu now supports projects across Canada — from residential saunas to public, community, and spa-based initiatives — and we contribute internationally through research, consulting, speaking, and collaborations with organizations like Sauna from Finland.

The sauna itself, though, is only one piece of the puzzle. Building a meaningful sauna culture takes enormous intention and constantly returning to the question, "Why am I doing this?" It requires craftsmanship, hospitality, cultural understanding, business acumen, experience design, facilitation, community care, and a willingness to keep learning. Sauna is wonderfully simple, but holding the space well - and having the intention to do so - is anything but.

How have customer expectations changed over the last few years?

The biggest shift we've seen is that people are becoming curious about the culture, not just the heat and physical benefits. That's incredibly exciting because we're no longer just talking about sauna as a structure, or debating how high the benches should be or how many minutes you need for "peak benefits." We're talking about living sauna culture and what it means to communities.

We still spend a lot of time myth-busting. People ask everything from why you need a proper sauna stove instead of a regular wood stove, what stones to use, and how to pour water onto the rocks. We also meet people who bought inexpensive saunas that weren't insulated or designed properly and wonder why the experience doesn't feel right. Those conversations are some of our favourites because they help people discover what really makes a great sauna.

At the same time, people are arriving with more context. They've travelled, experienced public saunas in Europe or elsewhere in Canada, read the research, and become much more discerning. They're looking beyond a beautiful building. They want great löyly, authentic traditions, and a place where they genuinely feel welcome - and can welcome others in.

Perhaps the biggest change is how people define wellbeing. They might come for better sleep or muscle recovery, but they come back because of the conversations, the friendships, and the feeling of belonging. That's exactly what we've always hoped sauna would become in Canada — not simply another wellness trend, but an everyday community gathering place.

Winning Kimberley's Business of the Year so early must have been exciting. What did that recognition mean to you?

Oh my... we're not going to lie — we were completely shocked and humbled! Becky had just come through a difficult three-month battle with her first bout of COVID, we were exhausted after a busy winter season, and like many small business owners, we were wondering if all the hard work was actually creating value for people.

We never really thought much about business awards until we experienced one ourselves and realized they were really a community saying, "We see what you're building, and we're cheering you on." That support meant the world to us.

That award gave us early rocket boosters to keep going. Since then, we've been fortunate to receive nominations in Fernie and Cranbrook, and another award in Kimberley, but what matters most is knowing our own communities have embraced what we're trying to build, because it means they do really experience the value.

The award also belonged to everyone who took a chance on us in those early days - the people who came to the first sauna sessions, brought a friend, volunteered at events, shared ideas, and believed in the vision. We often say we're building sauna culture together, and that recognition really felt like proof that our community believed in that too.

Awards are wonderful, but the real reward is when someone tells us they made a new friend in the sauna, slept through the night for the first time in weeks, or decided to build a sauna in their own community. That's when we know we're doing what we set out to do.

Besides mobile sauna experiences, you've expanded into custom sauna builds. How has that side of the business grown?

We always joked that the mobile sauna was our best showroom. Once people experienced authentic sauna, we knew folks would want to bring that practice into their own lives. So while we were introducing people to sauna through community sessions, we were also quietly preparing to help them build one of their own — or create a place where their whole community could gather.

What started as a handful of requests quickly became more work than Juho could keep up with That's when we partnered with an incredible construction company, TMBR, in Edmonton that shares all of our same commitments to service, craftsmanship, quality, and authentic sauna design. It has allowed us to expand across Alberta and Canada while staying rooted in the East Kootenay.

Today, we support everything from backyard residential saunas to commercial and public projects. Juho also loves consulting with people who want to build their own sauna, helping them navigate the overwhelming amount of conflicting information online and focus on the principles that actually create a great sauna experience. That work has naturally grown into consulting with municipalities, tourism organizations, and community projects across Canada and internationally. And we’ve build a strong network of partners we pull into various projects when needed.

As we've grown, we've also become more intentional about where we can have the greatest impact. we're especially passionate about community sauna projects because they create places where people can gather and care for one another. At the end of the day, we're not just interested in building saunas, we're interested in helping build stronger communities.

What's been your biggest entrepreneurial challenge?

Without a doubt, it's been stewarding the mission while also scaling from a rural community.

Building a mission-focused business from the East Kootenays means every opportunity requires careful thought. Sauna is becoming incredibly popular, which is wonderful, but growth can tempt you to chase opportunities that aren't actually aligned with why you started. We've had to learn when to say yes and, just as importantly, when to say no. Stepping into that "no" zone can be daunting, especially as a small business. It probably isn't the fastest path to becoming millionaires, but it has allowed us to stay focused on the work we truly believe matters.

We've always believed culture comes before commercialization. If we lose the culture, we've lost the very thing that makes sauna meaningful in the first place. That has meant growing more intentionally than quickly, building the right partnerships, and staying rooted in our values even as our work has expanded across Canada and internationally.

Are there any exciting new projects or collaborations on the horizon?

Absolutely — we feel like we're just getting started.

Closer to home, we're excited to grow a stronger volunteer base and work alongside clubs and organizations that want to make sauna part of everyday community life. If you've ever thought, "Gee, my network or community could use something like this," we'd love to hear from you. We genuinely believe sauna belongs wherever people gather — at networking events, fundraisers, student events, festivals, workplaces, and neighbourhood celebrations. We'd love to partner with others who share that vision.

Across Canada, we're collaborating with a small group to develop a new public sauna social enterprise model that will help make community sauna more accessible. Internationally, we're continuing our work with Sauna from Finland and helping steward the Global Public Sauna-Bathing Charter, a grassroots movement bringing together people around the world to champion public sauna as a force for healthier, more connected communities.

Within Kamu, Becky has begun her PhD at the University of Eastern Finland researching public sauna as community "third spaces" while continuing to deepen her learning with highly respected Finnish sauna practitioners, bringing those traditions into community sessions here at home.

Niamh is stepping into a larger project management role while expanding her work in teaching and storytelling, having recently presented at the World Sauna Forum on how sauna culture is developing across North America.

Juho is usually on the phone with someone in a different time zone, supporting sauna builds and community development projects around the world. Stay tuned, we're excited to share more about many of those collaborations as they become public.

More than anything, we're looking for more collaborators to tell sauna’s story. Storytellers, artists, researchers, municipalities, businesses, and everyday sauna lovers all have a role to play in building Canada's public sauna culture. We truly believe we're stronger when we build it (Canada’s sauna culture) together.