Before Obubu
I was born and raised in the suburbs of Hanoi, Vietnam. My whole family worked at the Academy of Agricultural Sciences. My childhood was spent wandering through my father’s potato research garden, my grandmother’s rice fields, and my mother’s plant conservation lab. At the time, I didn’t really understand what they were doing.
As I grew up, I chose a different path from my family and became an architect. For the past 10 years, I’ve been based in France, traveling the world. My first encounter with Japan was during an internship at an architecture firm in Tokyo, where I completely fell in love with the country. Last year, in 2024, I returned to Japan with my sister, who introduced me to Japanese tea. Little by little, my curiosity grew, and I began to wonder what makes Japanese tea so special.
I began practicing the Japanese tea ceremony and fell in love deeper with the tea culture. One day, I accidentally found Obubu’s internship program on Instagram. I’ve always loved hands-on craftwork, but my current career has taken me far from the practical side of working directly with materials. I missed that feeling. I told myself this internship would be a good opportunity to return to Japan, experience a different Japanese lifestyle in the countryside, and deepen my understanding of tea.
During Obubu
On my very first day in Japan, the bus carried me from Kamo Station into Wazuka. The ride felt almost like slow motion, passing through mountains, tea fields, and small houses along the way. It was beautiful. From the bus stop, I walked under the trees, listening to birdsong, until Obubu came into sight. The small office was waiting at the end of the road. Even though it was my first time there, I felt an instant sense of belonging. Perhaps it connected to childhood memories of growing up in the countryside, surrounded by rice fields and nature. In my mind, I heard a quiet voice say: okaeri ! – welcome home !
Obubu first moment
I cherished every moment here, working in the tea fields and the factory, surrounded by inspiring Tea People. At Obubu, I learned not only about tea, but so much more. I never realized that a small cup of tea could hold so much joy.
The tea fields may look serene and beautiful, but working in them is demanding, especially in the heavy summer heat. Every task requires technique, precision, and a steady hand. When I worked alongside Akky-san, whether trimming or harvesting, I did my best to handle the two-person machine but it never seemed to go the way I wanted. More than once, he would stop in the middle of the tea field, turn to me and say: Maichannn, nanni koreeee? – What is thisss? Yet he never got angry. Instead, he patiently showed me what to do. On the last day of the summer harvest, after we finished cutting the final row, he looked at me. I was sure he was about to point out another mistake. Surprisingly, he said twice that the tea bushes looked good. I was overjoyed to realize that, at last, I had improved.
Last day of summer harvest (photo by Katrina)
After Obubu
A new chapter of my life began. Today, I can proudly introduce myself not only as an architect practitioner but also as a tea practitioner, with my journey in tea beginning at Obubu.
I’m often reminded of a quote by Thich Nhat Hanh, the inspirational Vietnamese Buddhist monk, that I deeply treasure:
Tea is simple: loose leaf tea, hot pure water, a cup.
I inhale the scent, tiny delicate pieces of the tea floating above the cup.
I drink the tea, the essence of the leaves becoming a part of me.
