Hey hey!! Thinking about joining our team for a spring/summer or summer internship? Then you’re in the right place—we’ve got your back! This little intro to last summer’s internship should help answer some common questions and give you a sneak peek into what life on a tea farm looks like during Japan’s hot (and yes, humid!) summer months.
Summer Internship Dates
This year’s summer internship periods are:
- April 21 – July 16
(Application deadline: February 1) - June 9 – September 3
(Application deadline: March 8)
Summer at Obubu: What’s It Like?
Summer is generally a quieter tourism season compared to the bustling spring and autumn months—but honestly? Last year surprised us with quite plenty of tours! As interest in Japan (and Japanese tea!) continues to grow—hello, matcha boom—we’ve been lucky to welcome visitors from all over the world.
After the spring harvest wraps up, farm work slows down a bit. Early summer is mostly about weeding and trimming, until the summer harvest begins in July. This period can be physically demanding—Japanese summers are no joke—but it’s also incredibly rewarding to see the results of your hard work.
Once the harvest is finished, farming tasks ease up again and the focus may shift to construction projects, office work, tours, or whatever needs doing at the time. August often brings more space for creative projects, which many interns love.
And of course… it wouldn’t be summer in Japan without matsuri! Get ready for odori (dancing), hanabi (fireworks), and unforgettable local celebrations.
Last year, we welcomed two amazing groups of summer interns. Curious to hear about their tea-filled adventures in Wazuka? Check out their intern pages: #196 Zehra Hayırcı (Türkiye), #199 Garance Barnoin (Belgium), #200 Izzy Morley (UK), #201 KD Yu (Philippines), #202 Mai Huong Nguyen (Vietnam), #203 Mareike Tümmers (Germany), #204 Marusya Lukianova (Ukraine), #205 Milan Upadhyaya (India), #206 Trey Stowe (USA), #207 Andreas Fuji (Denmark), and #208 Kira (Planet Earth).
Zehra: “I was constantly amazed by the passion of the people around me. Not just for tea, but for life. I’ve met interns traveling the world with their sourdough starters on their backpack. People carrying interesting and unique musical instruments to the tea field. I’ve visited passionate craftsmen in the village dedicated their life to pottery or wagashi. Meeting other people who live with such care and purpose inspired me. And I must give a special shoutout to the incredible women of Obubu. I had imagined farming to be male dominated area, but here I worked alongside strong, independent women doing both physical and intellectual work with determination and courage. Carrying heavy tea bags to driving on the crazy curvy roads of the mountains, passionately waiting until the middle of the night for the first tea of the year to caring for an abandoned kitty with warm heart. I am so grateful being part of this community.”
Garance: “Every day felt like a week worth of adventures and side-quests. This list does not include all the recurring activities that truly made my time special here at Obubu. I will miss the processing nights, harvesting with Akky-san (special mention for backstep trimming), the tea breaks, the kei truck rides on the harvested tea bags, the morning meeting tea, the calm and relaxing labelling with Kayo-san, the Lawson trips and again many others.”
Izzy: “As for my most memorable moments of the internship, there are too many for me to choose my favourite or go into any depth, but a special shoutout to the factory dance parties, the smell of freshly harvested spring tea leaves, tea field picnics, movie nights, endless everyday tea drinking, chakabuki, facemasks, goblins, mochi pounding, pottery making, frogs, fireworks, Patricia, muscle flexing, hand rolling, black tea making, and late night processing. I had 3 main goals for the internship. (1) Learn at least enough that I no longer feel like an imposter and can set myself up to work with tea. (2) Build relationships within the Japanese tea community that are meaningful and (hopefully) long lasting. And finally (3) have fun. I’m pleased that all of these goals were met, along with so much more I couldn’t have predicted. The path ahead of me is much clearer now, and I’m feeling super inspired to continue on my tea quest.”
KD:”From then on, my perspective deepened. My time at Obubu didn’t just expand my knowledge of tea—it gave me a safe and supportive space to express myself fully. It reawakened my passion, while also allowing me to reconnect with who I am. Through each harvest, each shared moment, and every lesson learned, I grew not only in knowledge but in confidence, mindfulness, and gratitude. Three months may seem short. But what truly matters is not the length of time, but the impact we leave on others and the memories we carry with us. Ichigo Ichie perfectly captures this chapter of my journey—a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will always treasure.”
Mai: “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.”
Mareike: “I learned many things at Obubu but the most amazing thing is the way how a bunch of people from all around the world become a family. To have some sort of routine, knowing how people will act, being able to rely on another, exchanging kindness and to grow together is an amazing experience here at Obubu.”
Marusya: “Obubu reminded me that work can be healing. That real conversation can be medicine. That showing up — every day, in small, human ways — is like adding a drop (of tea, perhaps?) into the great ocean of culture and tradition. A tradition that still knows what the human body, mind, and spirit need.”
Milan: “Overall, the internship was not just about learning techniques, but about living the life of a tea farmer, producer, and host. It gave me a complete experience of what it means to work with tea every single day.”
Trey: “I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived at Obubu for my orientation, but I was sure I was in for an adventure. The fast-paced schedule of a working tea farm provided that and more, while Japan supplied the rest. Working on the farm has provided an abundance of wisdom which I’m quite sure is unavailable in any classroom. It’s expanded my knowledge of tea, and given me a newfound passion for sharing it with friends and strangers, alike. I’m looking forward to using what I’ve learned in my time here into whatever life has in store next, certainly with a bit of tea on hand for those moments when you just need to slow down and take it all in.”
Andreas: “It was very hard in the summer heat, but working in Wazuka’s beautiful tea fields made the heat disappear somehow. I even loved weeding, when you can sort of drift away in your own thoughts and sometimes fool around with the other Obubu people.”
Kira: “I’m forever grateful to the Obubu staff, AMs, and senpais for welcoming me in as a clueless sprout and helping me grow. And of course to my fellow kouhais with whom we withered together in the fields, rolled out on countless missions, oxidated under the same roof, dried our clothes and tears side by side, and brewed bonds that will never fade. Future interns, don’t be chai, apply! This place will oolong stay in your heart.”
It’s also helpful to hear from the people who work most closely with interns—our Assistant Managers. The 2025 AM team has each written summer-specific blogs, sharing reflections, challenges, and joys of Japanese summer life:
Ready to Join Us?
If this sounds like your kind of summer—tea fields, teamwork, learning, sweat, festivals, and plenty of memorable moments—then we’d love to hear from you. To learn more and apply, please visit the application page HERE.
We hope to see you in Wazuka this summer! 🍵🌞