Are you ready for another thesis-length blog about how much I adored spring harvest? Buckle up and please bear (🐻) with me!!! It was the BEST (yes, that must be read in Eva’s voice—if you know, you know).
This season involved much less traveling than before, with nearly all the focus on harvesting and spending countless nights in the sencha factory. The themes were clear: lack of sleep, pure passion, dancing, and sencha as fuel. Oh, and scheduling—A LOT of scheduling. At one point, I could have sworn I was married to Google Calendar; I even dreamed in colorful Tetris blocks of time slots. Honestly though, I didn’t mind. Solving mental equations, juggling everyone’s schedules during the peak of harvest—it was a challenge I not-so-secretly enjoyed.
After wrapping up Kyobancha harvest, along with some tea tastings, chakabuki, and tea hand-rolling competitions I mentioned in the winter blog, we moved into plum blossom season—and soon after, the cherry blossoms that Japan is so beloved for. That also meant hosting a lot of tea tours. Spring isn’t just the busiest season because of the year’s prized first harvest; it’s also packed with visitors eager to experience Japan in full bloom.
Kyobancha harvest with Aoi Mori team (Miwako-san, Kayo-san, Eva, Josh, and Marcello), as well as with Akky-san, Jackie, and Kazu-kun. Right before plunging into spring!
Tenku, Tenku, Tenku!! (天空)
Once spring arrived, I lost count of how many times I went up to our iconic Tenku tea field—also known as the “Heavenly” tea field. And not just for farming with Akky-san, but for tea sessions, picnics, conversations, reading, or simply soaking in the beauty of this special place. Tenku is more than a field; it carries years of care and love from everyone at Obubu. All tea fields do! Tenku is also where we craft our legendary Sencha of the Spring Sun! So, I found myself going there multiple times a week—sometimes after work for the sunset, sometimes on weekends to bask in the light and view. At one point, I wasn’t just the Lawson shuttle anymore (yes, I somehow started going there three times a day in spring)… I had become the Tenku shuttle, too.
Tenku tea adventures with Eva, Josh, Nicole, and Mia.
A Bit More of Trimming
To prepare the bushes for the year’s first harvest, light trimming is done between seasons. Our trimming quests in early March were especially memorable: the foggy Aoi Mori mission with Miwako-san and Josh, and the Jinja tea field adventure with Akky-san.
New Interns
The brave souls who joined us during the busiest season of all were Sky, Jackie, George, Caralyn, Chihiro, Emily, and Alexandra. Then in May, Izzy, Garance, Zehra, KD, Adam, and Afi jumped aboard as well.
Countryside Walking Tour
If you’ve read my previous blogs, you might know I love long-distance walks uphill, especially when carrying kilos of teaware and litres of water (for fun, apparently). Hiro-san seems to share this slightly eccentric hobby, so it became the perfect excuse for us to host a walking tour together in Wazuka.
We’ve been refining our countryside walking tour: trails that weave through tea fields, outdoor tea and lunch surrounded by Wazuka’s scenery, and an itinerary that balances tea with important cultural and historical landmarks. Our first tour with a lovely couple from the US was a 14.2 km walk around Wazuka. At a comfortable pace, with a few tea breaks and lunch in a tea field, it took us six hours, which so rewarding. I can’t wait to lead more of these tours in the future!
If you are a bit obsessed with hiking in Japan like me, apps such as YAMAP and YamaReco are great companions!
And of course, it also gave me a reason to dive deeper into “tea hiking.” As part of the research, I did the Dosenbo trail, starting from our Monzen tea field, leading to Minamiyamashiro, and finally Kasagi. Since Kasagi is a camping village nearby, we often wandered there, but the walk with Sky was particularly memorable: we brewed puerh from trees that were hundreds of years old. Drinking such leaves in the midst of timeless forests, rocks, and flowing streams—time itself seemed to sit still.
Chashaku Making with Kagoshima-san
Eva’s internship project centred around wooden utensils for tea—she’s an avid spoon carver. Some of us were lucky enough to receive her handmade spoons, which inspired me to abandon metal spoons altogether and slowly transition to wooden tableware. Eva is inspiring in many ways!
This time, it’s about Kagoshima Wataru-san—a local legend, tea farmer, and passionate chashaku (matcha scoop) maker. He doesn’t sell them or run workshops as a business; he crafts purely for the love of it. And graciously, we got to learn from him. It was a special evening with such a skilled craftsman, alongside Kayo-san, Eva, and Josh.
The most touching moment came when Eva gifted Kagoshima-san one of her carved spoons, and he, in turn, presented her with one of his chashaku. Tears were shed, smiles exchanged. Craftsmanship in rural Japan never ceases to amaze me. Thank you, Kagoshima-san!
Yoshida Meichaen Traditional Bamboo Shading Roof Building
Another highlight of spring was helping build bamboo shading structures alongside Yoshida Meichaen, the legendary tea producer from Uji’s Ogura district. Yoshida-san now works with his sons and nephews, who will become the 17th generation of farmers. He also serves as Chairman of the Uji Tea Hand-Rolling Preservation Association—whom we first met at the Uji Hand-Rolling Competition.
The Yoshida family continues to produce tea using traditional methods: hand-rolling, hand-picking, and honzu straw shading. They’ve competed in the National Tea Competition every year since its founding over 75 years ago, and have won first place more than 20 times. Since the 14th generation, they’ve also managed one of Kyoto’s oldest tea gardens at Kosanji Temple in Toganoo, where the bushes were grown from seeds Eisai brought from Song Dynasty China. As you can imagine, learning from them was a true honour! I was lucky to experience it together with Akky-san, Miwako-san, and Pau.
Chabako Laser Quest with George
If you know George, you know he’s a walking treasure chest of knowledge and skills. At Obubu, we’re constantly learning from him in unexpected ways. This spring, I got to join him on what we jokingly call a laser quest: engraving chabako tea boxes. Later, they were lovingly delivered to our Kickstarter supporters’ doorstep.
Shady Business
Fixing the shading nets with Miwako-san, Saya-san, Marie, Adam, and Giedre in Aoi Mori for the Natural Gyokuro.
Before first harvest comes, shading is a big part of tea farmers’ lives. Tencha requires around four weeks under shade, Kabuse Sencha about two, and Gyokuro at least three. That meant lots of work setting up or repairing shading in iconic fields like Somada, Tenku, Michi-Nashi, Aoi Mori, and Monzen.
Yoshinoyama with Josh
I couldn’t have wished for a more magical first camping experience in Japan. Josh and I headed to Yoshinoyama (吉野山) at the peak of sakura season. The peak of poetry, art, and pilgrimages. Imagine thousands of cherry blossoms in bloom, the air filled with petals, and a few cups of Gyokuro—Josh’s favourite tea—infusing the trip.
Kyobancha House Construction
We were racing against the clock, but amidst all the organised chaos we managed to finish the Kyobancha House reconstruction project just in time—five brand-new rooms ready before the next group of interns arrived! Big thanks to Hiro-san’s crafty planning and everyone’s teamwork. At Obubu, you don’t just learn about tea—you pick up carpentry and random handy skills along the way too.
Wazuka Hand-Rolling Preservation Society Yearly Event
Every year, the Wazuka Hand-Rolling Preservation Society hosts a hand-picking and temomicha event. This year it was held on April 16th in Kenta-san’s Kirari-31 tea field, followed by hand-rolling at Wazuka Cha Café. As always, Obubu staff, assistant managers, and interns joined in as hand-picking volunteers. The event even drew journalists like Nikkei Asia and a crew from NHK.
welcome :) and graduation :’)
No comments, I am still getting over all the wonderful people, who have graduated this year, okay?
Kamo Snail Museum
This might sound like an odd recommendation, but probably one of the most wholesome ones: the Kamo Snail Museum. You’ll find snails from around the world, snail-themed art, and the warmest hospitality. Huge thanks to Cara and George for bringing me along!
HAVE YOU HEARD OF LAKE BIWA?
If you’ve been on our tea tours, you’ve probably heard this question—it somehow turned into an Obubu inside joke. In its honour, Marilena, Tran, Mia, Cara, and I went on a road trip circling the entire Lake Biwa, stopping at temples, shrines, beaches, mountain paths, and charming little towns.
Previous Intern & Ambassador Visits
Spring is an exciting time for everyone, so that means that also plenty of former interns wish to return for a visit. This season we welcomed Saya-san, Marie, Giedre, Pascal, Andri, and Woo Jae for a taste of harvest magic. Since I inherited the co-management with Tran of the Ambassador Program from my senpai Alix, these visits often turned into playful “ambassador recruitment.” Hence, this spring, not only did our graduating interns became ambassadors, but also Giedre, Saya-san, and Pascal joined the circle since they graduated way before the program existed. Now, it feels truly magical to see this program grow, strengthening the bonds between Obubu and the people from around the world who come here to learn about Japanese tea.
八十八夜: HARVEST BEGINS <3
I was already excited for my first spring harvest in Japan—but I didn’t expect to be this hyped: counting minutes until the next harvest mission, practically living in the factory. The sleepless nights, the rhythm of the loud machines, the aroma of steaming tea leaves—all of it has carved itself into my memory. There I was, in oil-stained, tea-smeared clothes, sipping freshly made sencha while surrounded by clanking, humming machinery. Honestly, pure joy. Watching Akky-san’s skill up close, and getting to make tea myself as part of a passionate team, was beyond inspiring. Yes, it was tiring—but the second the harvest ended, I was already craving the next.
Hachijū-Hachiya—the 88th night of the farmers’ calendar—fell on May 1st this year, marking the first shincha. To read Marie’s interview with Akky-san, take a look at her blog here.
Aoi Mori harvest with Pau and Sky, afterwards we got to process by ourselves the Natural Sencha.
The happiest feeling? On top of a truck full of tea bags while hugging the harvesting machine after a satisfying farming mission. A slight spice of a heatstroke, why not (Japan is HOT). It adds to the sense of adventure, right? As Sky said, “this experience in Japan made me feel like I can learn and do anything.” Which pretty much sums up how I felt when I spent three months here on a farm for the first time also. And still, to be fair.
In these photos, one of the truly personally special moments is captured with my farming partners Sky, Garance, and Zehra. These two farming days in Somada and Sugimoto Monzen marked the first time Akky-san entrusted me not only with the driving side of the machine in his own fields, but also with harvesting with the interns on the other side. Normally, Assistant Managers take on this role in the Aoi Mori fields, while Akky-san always leads in his own ones. So this level of trust felt like a rare and invaluable learning opportunity—one I will always treasure. And honestly, I couldn’t have asked for better people to share this moment with. Thank you, Sky, Garance, and Zehra, for being part of such a meaningful chapter in my tea journey!
The Natural Oolong Needle harvest with Hiro-san was another memorable event in spring. The last time we harvested together was three years ago, during my very first Obubu season in the Autumn Moon harvest as an intern. This time, Hiro-san patiently shared tips that made me much more confident on the driving side of the machine, too. We harvested alongside Miwako-san and Woo Jae, with two machines going at the same time. Later that night, while Hiro-san was processing, Akky-san was also making his Heavenly Gyokuro in the factory at the same time. Tran and I drifted between them, observing, tasting shincha and helping where we could. Learning from such skilled people—each with their own style and wisdom—is a blessing not to be taken for granted.
Tea breaks during the tencha harvest in Somada, and my friend Pedro from o5 in Canada visiting us during his tea hunting adventures in Tenku.
Sencha Factory Everyyy Night
I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said I was in the sencha factory almost every single night during the spring harvest (kinda volunteering as an apprentice, let’s say, since technically it wasn’t part of our working schedule). Maybe I skipped about three or four nights, but otherwise I tried my best to stay until the very end of processing each time—finishing at 2 AM, 4 AM, and once even 6 AM.
I wanted to learn as much as possible in my first spring harvest, and to test myself—to see if I truly have it in me to be a tea farmer. This season gave me a new level of appreciation for what farmers like Akky-san go through: harvesting all day from early morning, then processing all night, and repeating that rhythm every single day for over a month. The dedication and passion behind it is truly indestructible.
During this time, I gained enormous respect and admiration, and I am deeply grateful for every moment—whether it was sweeping the floor, cleaning the machines, packing the final tea, or the humbling honour of being trusted with the needle-shaping machine on my own. The year isn’t over yet, but I’m certain: this will be the highlight of 2025. And the lack of sleep? Absolutely worth it.
While Akky-san was processing sencha, I did some handpicking of abandoned tea bush leaves in the Monzen area earlier that day, and later me, Chihiro, Giedre, and Marie made some kamairicha in the factory. It was quite citrusy!
Photos that intern George took in the sencha factory with Miwako-san made me feel cooler than ever—thank you, George! Working alongside Miwako-san that day was also such a joy. She’s an endless source of inspiration, carrying a wealth of knowledge about both farming and tea-making. And being an infinite sunshine on top of that, as some of you might know.
Every night in the factory offered a small but meaningful lesson. It felt a bit like those movie montages where someone learns a traditional craft in Japan—not through lectures or step-by-step instructions, but through observation, repetition, and even sweeping floors like a Zen monk while sneaking glances at the master at work. To be fair, Akky-san wasn’t as strict as the movie sensei types lol, and unlike the sushi apprentices who spend 20 years just polishing rice and washing the dishes, I was trusted with small, yet real tasks fairly easily.
Once that meant adjusting the pressure on the rolling machines together or sharpening the teeth of the trimming machine. One especially memorable day was when we were processing Sencha of the Wind. For the first time, Akky-san entrusted me with the shaping machine for sencha making—then promptly went to sleep (understandably, since harvesting and processing around the clock is exhausting). I was deeply humbled to be trusted to have has his back, but also terrified of messing up his precious tea leaves, lol. After that, I got to work with Sencha of the Wind a few more times, so this tea now holds a very special place in my heart.
Shigaraki
As part of Sky’s pottery project, she visited several kilns in Japan, and we were lucky to join her on the Shigaraki venture. She got to interview Hozan Tanii, a third-generation potter here. To read the interview, check out the blog here!
Kansai Ichi Handpicking Event
On May 4th, Obubu hosted a handpicking event for the Kansai Tea Competition! Obubu staff, assistant managers, interns, and volunteers plucked fresh spring tea leaves from one of Akky-san’s fields in Monzen. Together, we picked 45.73 kg of tea leaves, which were driven straight to the factory behind Wazuka-cha Café. Here, under the close supervision or Akky-san, the handpicked leaves were processed into 9.5kg of beautiful sencha, which eventually got high places in the regional competition!
Learning How to Drone
When I was living in Egypt, I met Islay Joy, a DJI ambassador and professional drone videographer, who kindly taught me some of the basics of drone filming in the Sahara Desert. Fast forward three or four years, and George helped refresh my memory here in Wazuka. I spent many weekends driving out to tea fields, practicing how to capture harvesting from a bird’s-eye view. I’m still learning to fly smoothly, but it’s been magical to do so in this landscape of endless, rolling tea fields.
Tenku from the bird-flight
Senchado Lessons with Nakai-sensei
As an intern, I was lucky to join a few tea ceremony lessons with Nakai-sensei here in Wazuka. This spring, I had the chance to resume those lessons with Chihiro and Sky—this time focusing on Chikusenryu Senchado. Nakai-sensei is such a sweetheart and a great teacher, spending time with her is truly heart-warming and healing.
Monthly Tea Club Streamings with Pau
If you’re a Tea Club member, you’re in for a treat—Pau and the team have been working hard to prepare exciting new things this year! First, there is a brand-new magazine included with the quarterly tea subscriptions. In addition, we’ve started hosting monthly livestreams on our Instagram account. These aren’t exclusive to Tea Club members, so anyone is welcome to join as we share updates about our activities, brew some delicious teas, and enjoy a cozy chat together.
Celebrating People
Spring also happens to be birthday season here at Obubu: Kayo-san, Miwako-san, Pau, Matsu-san—and, by magical coincidence, Tran and Garance on the same day, all share spring birthdays. In truth, most days at Obubu feel like celebrations already: small gestures of gratitude, offering help, and looking out for one another. But birthdays give us an extra excuse to show appreciation for the wonderful people we get to share this journey with. Plus, Tran bakes the most amazing of cakes, but this time around Marilena prepared some of her sweet magic for our Obubu baker.
fin. (+ bonus)
To wrap up the spring blog, aka, The Love Letter to Spring Harvest, I am gifting you with the rare sighting of saponin turtle brothers in their natural habitat – sencha factory. Thank you for reading so far, and see you in the steamy summer blog!