Before Obubu
I was living in San Francisco, California. I had originally moved there for a job as a data analyst, but I soon left the corporate girly life. I took on a job as a barista where I made lots and lots of coffee.
Why Obubu
Being a barista provided me with so much that I was looking for at the time, allowing me a point of connection to my community and authenticity in my work. I began to understand the joy of deepening the knowledge and craft that goes into perfecting something for others. While I’ve always been interested in how food and beverage is made, being a barista was definitely a catalyst for wanting to immerse myself in it.
Unlike most decisions that faced me at 24, I felt confident I needed to deepen my connection with my own culture to grow into myself (giving quarter life crisis). Food / beverage was always the avenue for me to stay connected to my Japanese identity while growing up in America. I also wanted to understand how the community and values of rural farming towns compared to those of the cities in Japan I was more familiar with.
Even with the limited knowledge that I had of it, I knew that tea has a rich cultural and historical significance in Japan. Once I got accepted to Obubu, I knew I had to go.
At Obubu
I honestly had no idea what to expect when I made my journey to Wazuka but as soon as I arrived, it all made a lot of sense. Hiro-san, Akky-san, and Matsu-san curate a distinct energetic environment which makes it hard not to smile when you’re here.
Jocelyn, Jason, and I on our first tea tour
My co-interns and I were reflecting on our 3 months here and realizing how dynamic our experience has been, from the people that made our experience at Obubu to our responsibilities. Any given day could involve harvesting tea or tea tours, processing my own batch of tea or vacuuming cars (more fun than it sounds), or working on my data analysis project.
Jordan and I cleaning the company van unprompted and in style
So proud of my babies (wakoucha)
I’m most grateful to the people that made up my little Obubu family – from the Japanese staff who patiently spoke to me with my imperfect Japanese, to the neighbors in Wazuka who served us delicious mochi and pizza amongst other things, to the other interns and managers who shared in many chaotic, ridiculous, and joyful moments together (@jocelyn + jason, @jordan, amanda, till, spencer, @holden, jack, @sara, pau, mac, alix – love you guys! <33) .
Tenku girlsssss! Farming at Obubu’s highest tea field
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