Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms Obubu’s Japanese Tea Internship
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms is an agricultural social enterprise. We want to use our tea to contribute to society and spread our passion for tea around the world. We are looking for passionate individuals who love tea and wish to improve their knowledge and understanding of Japanese tea and culture. Our programme offers a unique opportunity to connect with people from all over the world, to gain intercultural experiences and build meaningful relationships.
During your time at Obubu you can expect to learn about brewing, preparation and basic tea chemistry. Obubu’s internship offers a unique experience, which allows you to follow the process of traditional tea production from leaf to cup. You will have the opportunity to interact with our Japanese employees, farmers and local community members. You will experience Japanese culture firsthand through events, social interaction, and daily living.
We offer an internship with a twist. You will be primarily in the Obubu office maintaining international relations and the English website. You are expected to contribute your own skills through individual and group tasks and projects that will be largely self-motivated. However, within your schedule there will be regular contact with Obubu staff members, which will offer guidance and access to relevant resources.
Obubu interns will be expected to be involved in the following*:
- Tea tours
- Community events
- Social media and publicity
- Engagement with local media
- Website content
- Program management
- Hospitality for clients and guests
- Household maintenance
- Tea farming
Individuals in the past have contributed through:
- Blogging
- Photography
- Graphic design
- Filming and video editing
- Web design and management
- Translation
- Community outreach
- Event management
- Tea farming
We’re looking for individuals who are prepared to immerse themselves within a different culture, with cultural awareness and an open mind. Fluency in English is a requirement and conversational Japanese would be preferred for the internship. You must have patience when faced with language barriers as well as living in a peaceful, farming town.
The duration of the internship program is 3 months. The 6-month internship is also possible. and you would like to join the internship for 6 months please mention it in the comments section of the application.
For most countries, foreigners are allowed to stay in Japan on a ‘Temporary Visitor’s Visa’ for up to 90 days without any additional applications or paperwork. Please refer to the Japanese consulate at your residence for more information.
Applicants that pass application review will be invited for a skype interview after the application deadline.
Internship Duration and Application Deadline
The duration of the internship program is 85 days (~3 months). 6-month internship is also possible. If you would like to join the internship for 6 months please mention it in the comments section of the application.
For most countries, foreigners are allowed to stay in Japan on a ‘Temporary Visitor’s Visa’ for up to 90 days without any additional applications or paperwork. Please refer to the Japanese consulate at your residence for more information.
Internship 2021 Schedule (Dates subject to change)
| Slot | Program Start Date | Program End Date | Application Deadline |
| 1 | 26 Jan | 20 Apr | – |
| 2 | 4 Mar | 27 May | – |
| 3 | 20 Apr | 13 Jul | 17 Jan |
| 4 | 11 May | 3 Aug | 7 Feb |
| 5 | 6 Jul | 28 Sep | 28 Mar |
| 6 | 7 Sep | 2 Dec | 6 Jun |
| 7 | 28 Sep | 21 Dec | 27 Jun |
Applicants that pass application review will be invited for a Skype interview after the application deadline.
You can expect to know the result within a month after the application deadline.
Covid-19
Currently, according to restrictions from the Japanese ministry of foreign affairs, new entries from all countries are suspended for the time being. Therefore, we are not able welcome any interns who are currently residing outside of Japan at the moment. For the duration of the current travel restrictions, we will still accept all applications. However, unless you currently reside in Japan, we will defer your application by default until international borders have been reopened and at this point we will start processing all applications as normal.
Apologies for any inconveniences caused during these difficult and confusing times, and thank you for your passion for Japanese Tea!
Travel Insurance
It is a requirement to have travel insurance upon arrival. We advise you to look into options independently, to find the level of insurance that suits you. You must be covered for the duration of your stay.
What you need to bring
PC (required to work on a project)
Farming clothes
Raingear and waterproof boots
Towels
Personal belongings
* Please note that you will be required to bring a PC to work on a project and make sure that it has enough capacity since we use several cloud services (goodle calender, google drive, Asana etc.) for schedule management and project management.
Accommodation
Obubu’s office is located in a two-story house, which also serves as accommodation for program participants. The main floor is dedicated to the office, common space and kitchen; the bedrooms are situated on the second floor. Tatami mats with futon mattresses, bedding and linen are provided in each bedroom. You will either be living in a single or double room and must be prepared to share with another Obubu intern. The house has two toilets and a bathroom to be shared with all residents.
Cost
- Rent will be 18,000JPY per month
- The rent for 3months(54000JPY) must be paid via PayPal as a program cost before arrival.
- There are two small grocery stores in the town, a short walk away. Food can range from 3000JPY – 7000JPY per week depending on your diet
- Travel to and from Nara, Osaka, and Kyoto (the Kansai Region) will range from about 2000JPY – 3500JPY
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