Hi there! I’m Riikka, intern #220, and I spent three months at Obubu during the spring of 2026. In this blog, I share my journey with tea before, during, and after my internship.
Before Obubu
Tea, especially Japanese tea, has been an integral part of my life for years. There has rarely been a day I didn’t sit down to enjoy a cup of sencha. I cherish its sweet, grassy, umami flavor, and continue to be fascinated by Japanese tea culture with its focus on harmony and attention to detail. So it’s no surprise that I ended up spending three months at Obubu, in the lush green valleys of Wazuka.
I first visited Wazuka two years ago as a tourist before heading to Shizuoka to volunteer on an organic tea farm during the first week of the spring harvest. The experience was wonderful, though far too short — just a scratch on the surface of Japanese tea making. I knew I would need to return to Japan eventually to learn more.
At that time, I was in a transitional phase of life — maybe I still am. I was working in a tea shop in Berlin, Germany, trying to figure out my next steps after years in the hectic world of journalism in my home country, Finland. Tea had quietly become my compass. Through it, I found connection, grounding, and some of the kindest, and most caring and sensitive people I’ve ever met. The more I immersed myself in tea, the more I felt anchored.
The name Obubu had stuck with me from my brief visit to Wazuka, even though I didn’t have time to visit the farm itself. Last year, while thinking again about my next steps, I came across their educational internship and decided to apply. I needed more Japanese tea in my life.
And here I am now, writing this blog just one week before my internship comes to an end.
During Obubu
The months at Obubu have been intense. Some days felt like I had been here for years, as the everyday routines had become so familiar and comforting. Passing the small stone pathway from Hojicha House to the office, waking up to the weather of the day — in March still partly freezing, and lately hot and humid with the soothing fragrance of fresh tea leaves drifting from nearby fields and factories — never knowing exactly what the day would bring. Or riding on the keitora, sitting on bags of freshly harvested tea, admiring the forest views and sunlight filtering through the trees.
Other days passed too quickly, leaving me wishing for more time to explore all that Obubu, Wazuka, and Japan have to offer.
I arrived in March, just before the busiest season of the year. Within the first two weeks, cherry trees by the Wazuka River were in full blossom, and tea tour guests began arriving in growing numbers. The more I learned, the more responsibility I took on. When our kouhais — the second batch of interns — arrived, the first tea buds were almost ready to harvest.
I feel I have immersed myself fully in all areas of Obubu, from tea tour hospitality to farming and processing. I’ve been able to contribute with my whole skillset while also learning many new things (like how to use a circular saw).
One of my goals before arriving was to learn more about the different cultivars of Japanese tea — and that goal was achieved. I discovered my favorites, and spent countless hours nerding out about them as well as other (tea) things with fellow interns. Every new teaware, every small-batch pocket tea experiment, every fresh leaf brewed in the fields sparked curiosity and excitement among us.
Even Akky-san, a sencha farmer with decades of experience, showed genuine enthusiasm for teas I had discovered through visits to local tea houses and shops — like my Kagoshima asatsuyu cold brew and fukamushi asamidori from Shizuoka. Those moments warmed my heart and reminded me that I am just at the beginning of my tea journey. And I hope I never lose this similar kind of curiosity in myself.
As my internship comes to a close, it’s hard to believe this cohort will soon part ways. Yet it feels heartwarming to know that our shared experiences have created bonds that will last a lifetime — and that tea is the direction most of us will continue following.
After Obubu
When I first arrived in Japan, I imagined life after the internship differently. But it quickly became clear that working with tea is exactly where I feel most at home.
Even on the busiest, most chaotic days, running between tasks, I still found peace of mind in Wazuka — sharing Japanese tea knowledge with international visitors and contributing to the local tea community.
When offered the opportunity to return to Obubu this September as an assistant manager, I realized that the timing was right. The happiness I feel working with tea is profound. Through this beverage, I touch all aspects of life I value most: community, education, harmony, and care.
So after spending the Nordic summer in Finland, I will return to Japan to experience all the tea seasons at Obubu, starting with the autumn harvest, akibancha. I am excited to deepen my involvement in Japanese tea and explore other regions to meet more people behind this beautiful craft.
And beyond Obubu? Only time will tell. But I feel more committed than ever to the art of tea making, hoping one day to open my own tea house — a place where I can invite all my Obubu fellows and share a cup of Japanese tea.