A Japanese spa in
West Sonoma County
By Michael Shapiro
Bayinsider Contributor
Located between Bodega Bay and Sebastopol, the Sonoma County hamlet of Freestone may not look like much to visitors passing through. Yet this tiny town, once a thriving logging hub, is home to Osmosis, the only spa in the United States offering Japanese enzyme baths.
Native to Japan, enzyme baths are quite different than the mud baths that made Calistoga famous.
At Osmosis, guests are immersed in cedar flakes combined with an ancient recipe of more than 600 enzymes. This brew naturally ferments, warming the mixture without any external heat source. Visitors typically spend 15 to 20 minutes in the bath before showering and then either listening to relaxing music or getting a massage.
Since opening in the late 1980s, Osmosis has had more than 50,000 visitors, says owner Michael Stusser.
Stusser discovered enzyme baths in 1983, when he was training at a Zen monastery in Japan. The lengthy sitting meditations aggravated his back problems.
"I tried a number of different treatments and when I heard about these enzyme baths I didn’t respond because it sounded too weird," he says. "But because of the nature of Japanese hospitality, I had to accept. When I finally did take the bath, it was a miraculous experience for me. After a week of treatments my sciatic condition was resolved."
Visitors to Osmosis are greeted by the rich and pleasantly pungent cedar aroma and ethereal sounds of instrumental new age music.
After spending about 20 minutes lingering over tea or walking in the garden, a kimono-clad attendant leads people to the baths, either a private tub for couples or a larger room for parties of up to four people. Some choose to remove all their clothing before entering the tub – others bathe in their underwear or a bathing suit.
Guests lie on their backs as the attendant covers them with the cedar sawdust, an experience akin to getting buried at the beach, only warmer. Some say it’s the closest they’ve come to being composted.
Though some people are skeptical about enzyme baths when they arrive, just about everyone who experiences one has a radiant glow by the time they leave. After enjoying Osmosis, some people extend their trips with a visit to Sonoma's beaches, a stroll through Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve or a hearty dinner at one of nearby Occidental's family-style Italian restaurants.
For those who want to make a weekend of it, there are several B&B and hotels nearby, including Freestone's Green Apple Inn and the Inn at Occidental.
Osmosis Enzyme Bath & Massage
209 Bohemian Highway, Freestone, CA 95472. 707-823-8231
•Open daily 9 a.m.to 9 p.m.
•Baths are $75 per person, or $65 each for two. (Call for current rates).
•A 75-minute massage is an additional $75 per person.
•Allow 90 minutes for tea, bath, and blanket wrap. If you plan to have a massage, allow two and a half hours for your visit.
http://www.osmosis.com
Where to Stay
- The Green Apple inn is a lovely, smoke-free, four-room B&B. A room with private bath including full breakfast costs $85, single or double occupancy. 520 Bohemian Hwy. Freestone, 95472. 707-874-2526.
- The Inn at Occidental is a beautifully restored Victorian inn. Rates start at $175 per night. 3657 Church Street, Occidental, CA 95465. 800-522-6324.
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