During the spring season of 2026, our intern Riikka #220 sat down with Obubu staff over tea to talk about their journey at Obubu. This became a series of interviews, which will be published on our blog over the coming months. In this introductory post, Riikka shares the experience of the project itself—meeting the people behind Obubu and the moments that shaped it.
Everyday life at Obubu is full of motion. Even though we are a close-knit community, there are not many chances to sit down and talk properly during work hours, especially among staff who are always juggling multiple responsibilities.
That’s why I was really happy to have the opportunity to meet with everyone over a cup of tea and hear about their time at Obubu as part of my internship project. With a background in journalism, interviewing felt both natural and enjoyable. As an introverted person, I also appreciated the format: (somewhat) quiet one-on-one exchanges where I could simply listen and learn.
Although the structure was the same for everyone each interview took on its own character. Some were reflective, others more practical, and some very lively – each one always shaped by the person in front of me.
The project of course did not come without its share of practical challenges. Spring is the busiest season at Obubu, with sakura tourism and the first harvest of the year taking place almost at the same time. Staff were constantly moving between tea fields, factory work, tours, business meetings, and other responsibilities, so finding time for interviews required flexibility.
In some cases, also the recording conditions were not always on our side. Akky-san’s (president & lead farmer) interview – which was hard itself to arrange – had to be recorded twice due to a dying microphone battery, and minutes of missed audio. Luckily Akky-san enjoys his moments in front of the camera talking about his mission with Japanese tea and I was able to catch him for another interview session amidst harvesting.
I am very grateful all the staff members for taking the time to meet up with me, and sharing bits about their Obubu path, and ideas in regards to tea. Through this project, I was reminded not only of how diverse the Obubu team is, but also of its strong sense of community. Despite different roles and daily routines, there is a shared willingness to come together and make things happen, not matter if it’s an intern project or a special harvest of the year.
All interviews were recorded and will later be released in video format. Before that, you can enjoy them here on the blog in written form, with each one published separately so you can get to know the staff one by one.
I hope you like these small stories and get a glimpse into everyday life at Obubu. For me, this project was not only about getting to know my colleagues better, but also another way to prove how something as simple as tea can connect very different people in a very meaningful way.