The kura door: a holistic "Treasure House".

• Author: Biton, Adva
• Position: Utah Business is online. Join the discussion.

Nestled in an Avenues neighborhood between 3rd Avenue and T Street is a small spa with a big wooden door. It's this door--a 300-year-old wooden piece imported by the owners from Japan--that gives The Kura Door its name, along with symbolizing the spa's philosophy.

"In Japan, they use outdoor storehouses or sheds as places to put their valuables, because the door on the outside, the kura door, on them is meant to protect everything within," says Sara Gomez de Segura, the spa's director. "A kura door symbolizes a treasure house. It means that everything behind the door is a sanctuary."

To make their spa into a sanctuary, the staff and owners of the Kura Door strive to create a deeply relaxing and healthful experience for patrons. The decor is Japanese-inspired, with sliding wood-and-paper doors and clean, simple lines. Furthermore, almost everything--from the paint on the walls to the massage lotions to the wood and stone on floors--is free of added chemicals.

"Everything is as all-natural and organic as can be possible," says Gomez de Segura. "Even the insulation in our walls is recycled jeans. That's how committed we are to the philosophy."

Clean, natural ingredients are featured in most of the spa's fare. Kura Door manicures and pedicures include organic elements such as yuzu, buttermilk or ginger. The scrubs are...