It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since my first trip to Bali.
Back then, I wasn’t looking for a new life or a business idea. I was simply trying to catch my breath—emotionally, spiritually. I was 30, living in Yokohama, just a short walk from the ocean and Yamashita Park. On the surface, it might have looked idyllic. But inside, I was quietly unraveling.
To stay afloat, I kept myself busy. On top of working in a male-dominated corporate world, I filled my days with surfing trips out of town, cooking classes, English study sessions, and weekend getaways. My calendar was full, but my heart felt scattered.
There was an ache I couldn’t name—and I didn’t yet know how to face it.
And then came Bali.
I flew there with my mother and grandmother for what was meant to be a short vacation during Golden Week, Japan’s annual spring holiday. But something shifted the moment I arrived. Not only the gorgeous sunset, prayers in every corner, but the pace of life, the warmth and kindness of the people, the way even the most ordinary moments felt sacred—it all struck a deep chord in me.
Something about it all reminded me of where I came from—the countryside of Kagoshima, where I grew up surrounded by rice fields, ocean breeze, and simple kindness. Bali felt unfamiliar and deeply nostalgic at the same time.
I didn’t know it yet, but that trip would mark the beginning of a new chapter.
Kecak Dance at Uluwatu temple with beautiful sunset
🌊 Falling for Bali: My Solo Surf Trip
Just 1 month later, I returned to Bali alone. I booked a small hotel room in front of the Kuta beach, signed up for daily surf lessons, and left my phone off more often than on. It was the first time in years I had allowed myself to be fully present.
There was a kind of healing that came not from talking things through, but from moving with the waves, sipping ginger tea after sunset, and exchanging smiles with strangers who felt oddly like kindred spirits. I didn’t feel the need to explain myself. Bali didn’t ask for reasons—it simply welcomed me as I was.
The more time I spent there, the more I realized I was falling in love—not just with the island, but with a version of myself I thought I had lost.
🧵 The Beauty of Handcrafted Life
Over the next few years, I returned to Bali again and again. Eventually, I stayed for a full year. I lived in a simple house surrounded by rice fields, with frogs singing at night and the smell of incense drifting through the windows each morning.
It was during this time that I met the artisans. I wasn’t looking for them—they just appeared, in morning markets, roadside workshops, and local ceremonies. What caught my heart wasn’t just the beauty of their work, but the intention behind it.
Every basket, every wall hanging, every handwoven box—none of it was rushed. These pieces were made with care, passed through generations, and infused with the rhythm of daily life. There was a quiet reverence in the way they worked. It reminded me to slow down, to value the small things, to live more simply and more meaningfully.
🏡 From Soul Connection to Brand Creation
I never set out to start a business. But something kept tugging at me: a desire to share this feeling with others. The feeling of walking into a space that’s been touched by human hands. The comfort of surrounding yourself with items that hold stories. The quiet joy of supporting people who create with heart, not haste.
That’s how Umah Decor was born—not from a business plan, but from a love story. A love for Bali, for craftsmanship, and for the idea that beauty can be both simple and soulful.
"Umah" means "home" in Balinese. And that’s what I hope Umah Decor brings to you—not just products, but a sense of home. Wherever you are in the world.
✨ Closing Thoughts: A Decade Later
Now, ten years later, I look back with gratitude. Not everything has gone as planned, and the journey has had its share of twists and heartbreak. But Bali gave me more than a place to escape—it gave me a place to return to, again and again. It gave me a compass, a rhythm, and a reminder of what really matters.
I don’t know what the next ten years will bring. But I do know this:
Wherever life leads, I’ll carry the spirit of Bali with me—woven into every step, every choice, and every piece we share through Umah Decor.
