Internship

Obubu’s Japanese Tea Internship

Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms is an agricultural social enterprise. We want to use our tea to contribute to society and spread our passion for tea around the world. We are looking for passionate individuals who love tea and wish to improve their knowledge and understanding of Japanese tea and culture. Our program offers a unique opportunity to connect with people from all over the world, to gain intercultural experiences and build meaningful relationships.

During your time at Obubu you can expect to learn about brewing, preparation and basic tea chemistry. Obubu’s internship offers a unique experience, which allows you to follow the process of traditional tea production from leaf to cup. You will have the opportunity to interact with our Japanese employees, farmers and local community members. You will experience Japanese culture firsthand through events, social interaction, and daily living. We offer an internship with a twist. Daily schedules are dependent on the seasons. A typical day can consist of tea tour hosting, farming, packing, tea processing, or other related activities. You may also contribute your own skills through individual and group tasks and projects. However, within your schedule there will be regular contact with Obubu staff members, which will offer guidance and access to relevant resources. Obubu interns will be expected to be involved in the following*:

• Tea tours
• Tea farming
• Tea packing
• Community events
• Social media and publicity
• Engagement with local media
• Website content
• Program management
• Hospitality for clients and guests
• Household maintenance

Individuals in the past have contributed through:

• Tea farming
• Blogging
• Photography
• Graphic design
• Filming and video editing
• Web design and management
• Translation
• Community outreach
• Event management

We’re looking for individuals who are prepared to immerse themselves within a different culture, with cultural awareness and an open mind. Fluency in English is a requirement and conversational Japanese would be preferred for the internship. You must have patience when faced with language barriers as well as living in a peaceful, farming town.

Seasonal specifics

Spring : Starting in March, tourism increases and tea tours become more frequent with a higher number of guests. Farming picks up around the beginning of April and even more so when the spring harvest starts in the end of April. Expect lots of tea tours and lots of farming. There is not much insider time during the spring.

Summer : Tourism is lower in this season. After the end of the spring harvest, farming activities are calmer with mostly weeding and trimming until the start of the summer harvest in July. The harvesting and processing can be very physical as during this time, Japan is very hot and humid. Once the harvest is over, we work on various construction projects around Obubu. In August, we also have more time for creative projects.

Autumn : From September, tourism picks up once again. In this season, tea tours take place daily with larger groups. Farming is calm in September with just some weeding and trimming in the remaining summer heat. October and November are much busier due to the Autumn harvest where harvesting and processing are the core of our work.

Winter : There is much less farming than in other seasons. Tourism continues as usual. Winter is the time to focus on insider work, personal projects, and to be creative ! We also do some light construction and maintenance work around Obubu and in the fields.

Internship Duration and Application Deadline

The duration of the internship program is 83-88 days (~3 months). In most countries, foreigners are allowed to stay in Japan for up to 90 days on a “Temporary Visitor Visa” without any additional application or paperwork. For more information, please contact your local Japanese Consulate General. Also, please only apply if you can come by the start date, have no special plans during the weekdays from 9:00 to 18:00, and can stay until the end of the internship. You are expected to check in at your accommodation in Wazuka one day before the Program Start Date before 5 p.m. The first day of the internship will start with an orientation at 9 a.m.

Internship 2025 Schedule (Dates subject to change)

Application process

Applicants that pass the written application review will be invited to for a Zoom interview after the application deadline. Before the interview, they will be asked to record a short introductory video, answering pre-interview questions. After the interview, selected applicants will receive a confirmation email with documents to fill out and an invoice to pay the rent (90,000 JPY) for the internship period. You can expect to know the result within a month after the application deadline.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement to have travel insurance upon arrival. We advise you to look into options independently, to find the level of insurance that suits you. You must be covered for the duration of your stay.

What you need to bring

PC (required to work on a project), Farming clothes, Raingear and waterproof boots, Towels, Personal belongings * Please note that you will be required to bring a PC to work on a project and make sure that it has enough capacity since we use several cloud services (Google Calendar, Google Drive, Asana etc.) for schedule management and project management.

If you hold a valid driving license in your country you will need to apply for an international driving license before your arrival at Obubu. For some countries there will be additional paperwork to be done before you are allowed to drive in Japan.

Accommodation 

Obubu’s accommodation has common spaces, a shared kitchen, and bedrooms. Tatami mats with futon, mattresses, bedding and linen are provided in each bedroom. Each intern has their own private bedroom within the house. The house has two toilets and a bathroom to be shared with all residents.

Cost

• Rent will be 30,000JPY per month.
• The rent for 3 months (90,000 JPY) must be paid via Card Payment as a program cost before arrival.
• The rent will also include rice and basic condiments.
• There are two small grocery stores in the town, a short walk away. Food can range from 3000 JPY – 7000 JPY per week depending on your diet
• Travel to and from Nara, Osaka, and Kyoto (the Kansai Region) will range from about 2000 JPY – 3500 JPY

For a more detailed guide to our Internship Program check out our Obubu Intern Handbook ! If you want to know more about day to day activities, check out our blog “Five Types Of Activities At Obubu For Interns”! If you want to know our previous interns experiences please watch Amazing Tea Internship In Japan and visit Previous Interns Page!  

If you are interested in joining us, please fill the application form below:

Application Form

DISCLAIMER: Living and working in the small town of Wazuka may be very different than what you are used to. If you do not speak Japanese, there will be language barriers that require patience and understanding. If you wish to work in the fields, you must be physically capable and understand that the conditions can be less than comfortable (hot and humid weather in the summer, heavy machinery, wildlife etc.) By completing this application you are acknowledging these factors in the experience and confirming that you are fit and able for the job.

Application Form

Learn more about intern’s projects and work: