Uketamo's Invitation: Find Yourself in Acceptance
To every friend about to step into Hotel Uketamo:
Amid the bustle of the city, we have created a sanctuary for body and soul—a mountain where one can rest. Its name is Hotel Uketamo.
"Uketamo" comes from the wisdom of the Yamabushi monks of Japan. It means to open one's heart and accept all that life brings. The Yamabushi believe that nature is the greatest teacher: the turning of seasons, the wind whispering through ancient cedars, the rhythms of farming passed down through generations—all reminding us how to be humble, how to live in harmony with the world. This spirit has become the very heart of Hotel Uketamo.
A Cross-Cultural Dialogue of the Soul
The birth of Hotel Uketamo arose from my deep encounter with the sacred mountains of Dewa Sanzan. Walking into the old cedar forest for the first time—seeing light shift through branches, hearing the wind across the treetops—I understood the true meaning of "nature as the highest teacher." It was not about escaping reality, but about the wisdom of reordering life's priorities. For the Yamabushi, pilgrimage is not leaving the world, but returning to it with greater clarity. This is the experience I hope to create—for those in the city who are striving to find balance.
A Cultural Dialogue Within Space
Stepping into Hotel Uketamo, you are greeted by a precious tapestry woven by Yamagata Dantsu artisans. Its motifs trace the footsteps of pilgrims crossing sacred peaks in search of inner transformation. Every hue carries moments of dialogue between people and nature. Though Taiwan and Yamagata are far apart, we share a reverence for nature and a respect for tradition. This resonance across cultures is the very sentiment Hotel Uketamo wishes to share with every traveler.
Philosophy Practiced Through Food
At Bliss & Bone, our philosophy of "flexitarian dining" shapes the table. It is not merely a dietary choice, but a way of life. We believe the table is where vegetarians and meat-eaters can sit side by side, respecting each other's choices while reclaiming a balance with nature. This inclusiveness echoes the wisdom of the Yamabushi: to hold true to one's beliefs while understanding the ways of others.
Uketamo: The Courage to Accept
"Uketamo" is more than a word—it is a way of living. To accept the changing of seasons, and to accept life's impermanence. It is not only the wisdom of ascetics, but also the reminder most needed in city life. When we are willing to release the weight we carry within, clarity returns. The heaviest burden often lies not in work itself, but in our doubts about meaning, and the suppression of our own longing. Here, I hope you can set aside those "shoulds" and "musts," and allow your heart to breathe again.
May Hotel Uketamo accompany you, walking gently by your side—your place of rest, and your place to begin anew.
Hotel Uketamo · Taipei
