Autumn has always been the most nostalgic season to me. As the days finally start to cool down and the leaves turn yellow, the bittersweet of the last part of the Assistant Manager Program really hits differently, trying to enjoy every moment to the fullest. While we are still experiencing a lot of “first times,” we are also starting to count more “last times” of our 10 months at Obubu.
During the month of September, for example, we welcomed for the last time a batch of Interns, and with them we have been sharing the most precious moments of this Autumn season! Their welcome was quite a show, as we visited together our Tenku field, one of the highest in Wazuka, during a misty early morning, to enjoy a very unique breakfast before starting the work day!
We also took part, all together, to the last Chakabuki tournament, hosted by Akky-san, which I finally won!!
As a first time, I also sold my first bag of my batch of Wakoucha, made just a couple of weeks before! Receiving compliments and encouragement from the guests for your own tea is the most humbling experience!
Another first time was when we hosted a very special event! We served lunch for the participants of the Japan marathon of “Rally The Globe,” as classic cars were driving all around Japan! The oldest car taking part was exactly from a century ago! It was such a unique experience meeting drivers from all around the world and their stunning cars!
From the month of October, everything started to feel even more nostalgic! As the season switched, we started the last harvest of the year, collecting mainly Tencha from the bushes that are starting to get ready for the dormant period of Winter. Being a much calmer period for harvest, it felt the perfect moment to really study the leaves, how they were changing texture, color and smell as the year cycle goes towards its end.
I took part to the first and last day of the Autumn harvest and all I could think about was that i wanted to start it all over again! From working with machines to loading heavy tea bags, every action is in out muscle memory by now: knowing already what to do and when makes the experience even more enjoyable (especially with the gentle wind)
Another core moment of this season has been the tea flowering! We were constantly picking tea flowers and seeds, experimenting with drying or roasting them, or simply just to decorate the living rooms.
As the farming schedule slows down and most of the time is dedicated to tea tours and office work to finish up projects, I valued the moment in the fields even more, especially the ones in our Aoimori tea field, where we got assigned the most fun sidequests to prepare the field for Winter!
I enjoyed experimenting with the side trimmer so much! It’s a small machine that helps trim the sides of the bushes to regulate their growth, and it’s very fun to use since it has a small wheel that helps the blade move straight!
From the same field we also had occasional processing shifts, mainly for education purposes, to let everyone experience how different Autumn leaves are shaped and dried and how flavours and aromas completely shift!
I have to say, it was one of those “full circle” moments: the tea leaves are so different from the Spring and Summer ones, and the final product results in a light green, coarser tea that prefers higher temperature to bring out the deep vegetable notes.
November also saw the last matsuri happening in Wazuka. The local sports park filled with stands for all the different activities in our town: restaurants, shops and tea farmers gathered for the day, which ended up with magical fireworks!
Going towards the end of the program, we are also focusing more on our graduation work, wrapping up lasts projects and spending a bit more time in the office! Everything is still top-secret for now, so stay tuned on our accounts to see what the Assistant Managers have been up to this year!
To many more tea adventures to come!