Manila, Philippines
Intern #123
Email: mikie.mitsuhashi@gmail.com
Konni-tea-wa!
Hello everybody! Let me share with you my Obubu experience. I believe Obubu offers a very unique internship that allows everyone — whether you are a tea connoisseur or simply starting to grow your love for tea — a chance to experience everything about the Japanese tea culture.
I, for one, came to Obubu empty handed. I started drinking tea more frequently when I moved to Japan in 2018 from the Philippines. However, that doesn’t exactly mean that I understood the world of Japanese tea. I knew some tea, but I didn’t even know how to brew them with confidence! I guess I became dependent to the readily available tea bags and bottles sold everywhere.
Coming a little earlier (over a month) from my scheduled internship period, I am lucky to say that I have experienced three different seasons during my stay! Although I came at a time where things are a bit different because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I am glad to be able to experience and learn a lot of things at Obubu. When I first got here (end of May), there were five interns with me, but from July to the end of October, it was just me and my French co-intern, Claire. Still, I didn’t miss out on anything as tours and events were still being held (I got to experience hand picking both in Summer and Autumn!).
An ordinary schedule will involve us interns in activities such as farming, processing, packing and labeling, working on projects, and assisting in tea tours and events. We also had presentations to fill us with tea knowledge during our first weeks. To sum it up, my four-month stay was an adventure. These are things I never thought I’d be doing in my life, yet I enjoy every bit of it. The awesome thing is that it was not just about me learning about tea — it was also about me learning more about myself. I guess it’s also an area for self-discovery!
Although the internship has come to an end, my tea journey won’t stop here. I’ll be bringing along the things I’ve learned and experience, and share it with people around me. Also, I have always wanted to have my own business in the future. Perhaps it is too soon to tell but I’m starting to have a clearer image of what I want to do — with tea in the picture of course! :) Again, I’ll have Obubu to thank for letting me experience this wonderful opportunity and drawing me closer to future plans.
You can find out more about my experience at Obubu and Wazuka in the video below:
Oh!! Other than the usual activities as an intern, I often spend my time baking sweets in the Obubu house. Claire and I often create sweets with Obubu’s tea powders and leaves! I’ve linked below some of the tea recipes we’ve made using our tea! Please do check it out!
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