Tea, Tables, and New Friendships | Rowan Rigby

I arrived at Naturalitea on the 26th of April and spent three weeks volunteering on the farm. I came partly because my mum used to live in Japan for ten years and would always talk about the wonderful life she had here — how gracious and kind everyone was. That, combined with my love for tea and travel, made it feel like somewhere I had to experience for myself. From the moment I arrived, everyone was so welcoming and kind. It instantly calmed my nerves, as this was my first trip alone overseas.
On my first day we started at 8am. I began with weeding and picking debris from the tea plants, and later in the morning we moved into harvesting — I was carrying bags filled with tea fresh from the machine. The other volunteers helped me carry them, so even though it was heavy work, there’s always plenty of help.

After the morning shift, lunch is at 12pm before we start again at 1pm, either continuing through the tea fields or helping with the harvest. The work can definitely be tiring, especially carrying tea bags during harvest, but everyone helps each other and that makes it so much more enjoyable and rewarding.
In the evenings we all sit down together for dinner around 5pm, which has honestly become one of my favourite parts of the experience. There are new faces at the table almost every night, and the atmosphere feels so warm and welcoming. After dinner, some nights we head to the onsen to relax after a long day, and other nights we stay in and play card games together. It’s such a nice balance — working hard during the day and slowing down in the evenings.

This is what an average evening here looks like, all huddled around the table playing games. In the first photo are Barna and Dorkas, two of the volunteers, and in the second photo is our manager Jack along with another volunteer, Jodi.
On the days we have off, I’ve also explored places nearby like Hamamatsu and Shizuoka, which has been so exciting to experience while I’m here.

These photos are from our day trip to Hamamatsu. A few of the other volunteers and I visited the flower park and Nukumori no Mori — a small Studio Ghibli–style village filled with yummy treats and souvenirs.
Yes, volunteering can be hard work, but I’ve immensely enjoyed my time here. I’ve met so many new people and made wonderful connections and friendships. Being able to work while taking in incredible views and being fed amazing meals has made my trip unforgettable — and I’d love to come back and volunteer again.