Chozu Bath and Tea Gardens, situated in a quiet corner of Ashland's old railroad district, is an ode to the healing and purifying properties of water.

The word Chozu is derived from the Japanese roots cho, meaning "to become clear, serene or pure," and zu, which means "with water."

At Chozu, people seeking peace and relaxation repose in saltwater pools surrounded by billows of steam and lulled by quiet Japanese tones. Gentle light from hidden lanterns bathes the stamped cement and pebbled ground as the music of trickling water soothes the senses.

Chozu is tucked into a renovated 1903 house with original fir floors, heavy Mexican mesquite doors, a roaring gas stove and Zen-inspired furnishings. You enter the house to find a simply appointed lobby and a tea room which offers macrobiotic goodies. It is here that you trade your shoes for slippers and receive instructions on the centerpiece of your visit, the healthful saltwater baths in the outdoor garden. You are given a koshimaki, a towel wrap to protect your modesty, and a cup of bath salts to cleanse your skin before bathing.