After driving, we arrived at [Koso well & Cafe Haku], which just opened on September 8, 2019!

It is a little far from the station, so we recommend going by car or taking a bus from JR Moriyama Station or JR Kata Station.

I entered the store with a sense of excitement and went to the reception desk first. Enzyme bath is roughly explained as a kind of sand bath, but instead of sand, you take a bath filled with hinoki sawdust and rice bran. There are nine completely private rooms here, and reservations are accepted for one-hour slots. They say you can go without a reservation as long as it is available, but if you are unsure, it is better to make a reservation in advance to be sure.

Towels, paper underwear, hair caps, etc. are included in the fee, so you basically do not need to bring anything! In addition, shampoo, treatment, cleansing and lotion are also provided, which is convenient for when you take a shower after the enzyme bath is over. Of course, they also allow you to bring your own personal items.

After completing the reception, you will then go to a counseling session. You will receive a detailed explanation of the enzyme bath and a detailed hearing about your constitution and physical condition.

First of all, what kind of benefits can we expect from enzyme baths? First of all, let me explain what kind of benefits can be expected from enzyme baths.

Unlike saunas, enzyme baths do not use any artificial heat, but rather natural heat from the friction and reproduction of microorganisms and the fermentation of medicinal herbs and fruits. Because it is the warmth of living things, the body accepts the heat and becomes warm from the inside. Unlike sweat that comes out of the sweat glands on the surface of the body to regulate body temperature in daily life, the blood flow in the enzyme bath is equivalent to running a 15-km marathon after about 15 minutes of fermentation, causing the sebaceous glands to open, and the excess sweat, along with the silky sweat from the deep layers of the epidermis, is absorbed by the skin and becomes a natural heat source. The "sebaceous glands" are opened and excess fat, toxins, and other wastes are discharged along with the silky sweat that comes out from deep within the epidermis, which is expected to have a detoxifying effect.

Many customers come to the salon for physical and disease care, as well as for physical improvement and beauty purposes. That is why they listen carefully to each person's constitution and physical condition, and propose a menu that suits that person!

Here, you can choose between a "rice bran enzyme bath" and a "hinoki enzyme bath,
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Rice bran enzyme bath: Recommended for those who want to warm up slowly due to the relatively low temperature. It is expected to be effective for cooling and beautifying the skin. Many first-time enzyme bath visitors start with rice bran.

Hinoki enzyme bath: Higher temperature than rice bran. Recommended for those who want to sweat and feel refreshed all at once. The refreshing woody aroma is also effective in refreshing the body.
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WebLeaf staff members are new to enzyme baths, so we will try the rice bran enzyme bath this time!

Now it's time to start preparing! The room is completely private, with the powder room, enzyme room, and shower room separated by a door. From here, you are completely alone.

Since they sweat a lot, many of them remove their makeup before going to the event. That's why they have cleansers available! Of course, they say it's okay to leave your makeup on. Now, you are all changed and ready to go!

The enzyme room is also completely private and is connected to the room just mentioned. The enzyme room looks like this.

The rice bran enzyme was silky and fine powdery.

The surface of the enzyme bath is exposed to air, so the temperature is lower, but the lower you put your fingers inside, the warmer it is! I first described it as being like a sand bath, but it never hurts like sand! It has a gentle feel that makes you want to fall asleep as soon as possible.

Before the actual fermentation, the staff will dig a hole for you according to your body size. When you are ready, you lie down there and pour the enzyme over your body yourself. This is a strange and interesting sensation! Once you are buried in the enzymes to some extent, the staff member is called in to do the full-fledged burial (laughs).

And...

A gaping hole...

I was completely hooked!

Only the nose and mouth are out. The area around the eyes will also be gently wrapped with the enzyme in a towel. They can also adjust the amount they apply depending on your preference!

Fermentation time is about 15 minutes. Immediately after the start, I was sweating profusely...! It was warm, but not hot! The air is not hot like in a sauna, so it is not difficult to breathe. Once you get used to it, you almost doze off to sleep....

Incidentally, it is said that when the body temperature rises by 1 degree Celsius, the immune activity of the human body improves by 60% and the basal metabolic rate increases by 13%. I see, so it is important to warm the body from the core. You can feel your body gradually warming up from the inside out.

After about 10 minutes, the staff came to wipe my sweat with a cool towel! The cold towel felt too good~.
Fifteen minutes pass and the enzyme bath is over! I sweat a lot and feel refreshed. I felt an urge to "drink water as soon as possible!" I felt an urge to "drink water as soon as possible!

When finished, move to the shower room next to the room to lightly rinse off the enzymes. They recommend that the body be rinsed with hot water without soap because of the lasting effects of the invisible enzymes. It was kind of fun because I would look like I did after getting covered in mud when I was little.

Then, cool down in the powder room. You will have a one-hour window from your appointment time, during which you are free to relax until the sweat goes away. Cold, chlorine-free water is available in the powder room, so make sure you drink it to rehydrate yourself! The room is also equipped with a variety of other supplies, so it is really convenient for getting ready! If you need to put on makeup again, don't forget your makeup pouch.

Although it depends on the individual, the perspiration continues even after you leave the room. They have a semi-private rest area in a separate place, so if you want to lie down until you feel better, do not hesitate to let the staff know!

After getting poka-poka from the enzyme bath, head to the café inside the facility. Here, you will find a variety of specially made enzyme drinks and vegetable dishes that will relax both your body and mind.

If milk is the standard after a bath, then an enzyme drink is the standard after an enzyme bath! So this time, we had an enzyme drink and the recommended ginger ale~!

What is it? I feel like I'm doing nothing but good things for my body. My body is warm, my mind is warm, and I am ready for a good night's sleep right now, and a nourishing enzyme drink. The enzyme drink we received was made from fermented oranges and grapes. It was mixed with sweet fruit syrup and soda water. It was so sweet and refreshing that I drank it in gulps. The ginger ale was very refreshing with a hint of ginger! They say you can add more syrup if it is not sweet enough.

By the way, the café is open to those who do not take enzyme baths, so feel free to stop by.

Enzyme baths have a variety of positive effects, but some people may experience symptoms such as eczema, redness, or close proximity to the toilet in response to toxins released from the body, which is called a "turnaround reaction. However, since the body is beginning to expel the toxins, it is better to keep coming back to the baths.

Also, because the enzyme baths are pasteurized, bacteria harmful to humans are killed and cannot multiply. After a person enters the bath, the bacteria are decomposed in about 40 minutes, and by the time the next guest enters, sterilization is complete, so don't worry!

I felt refreshed by the sweat and my body was poka-poka! Even after returning home, my body continued to feel warm. For those who want to take the first step toward a healthier lifestyle, why not try an enzyme bath?