This issue of HAMAM — Dedication — is exactly that: a dedication to those unconventional spirits out there with open hearts, creative minds, and big ideas. We explore bathing in a myriad of ways, whether it’s a local swimming association in Palau or a historic look at the Turkish bath in the British Isles. The perfect accompaniment to your next bathing experience.

Plunge into stories including a how-to Korean scrub and the poetic etymology of toto-no-tta. Peer into a scene in a Russian banya near Berkeley or take in a photo story of the Japanese bath by acclaimed photographer Mark Edward Harris. All of this, and much more.