Intern with Us
Interning at
d:matcha Kyoto
d:matcha Kyoto is a small, family-owned organic Japanese tea farm rooted in the mountains of Wazuka, Kyoto. As a dedicated team of farmers and tea lovers, we work to protect Japanese tea's 800-year heritage by practicing sustainable agriculture, reclaiming abandoned fields, and sharing authentic tea experiences with a global community.
Our internship program offers a 4-week on-site immersion in Yubune, Wazuka. You will work directly alongside our team in our missions to produce exceptional tea, revitalize our local countryside, and manage a globalized business. We look for proactive individuals ready to fully embrace rural Japanese life and dive deep into Japanese tea and its production.
The Application Process
We seek individuals passionate about tea who are eager to integrate into our work and way of life. Applications will open in late summer 2026, and candidates selected for interviews can expect to hear back around early December. Candidates must submit:
- Essay Responses: Insights into community contributions, interest in tea, and your future vision.
- Video Submission: A 1-minute video introducing yourself and your specific interest in d:matcha.
The Internship Experience
You will assist with a full range of tasks, from farming and cafe hospitality to product packing. Our work is seasonal, and schedules change daily based on farm conditions and business needs. Because we are a small-knit, highly collaborative team, everyone pitches in wherever necessary.
What You Will Learn
- Operations: Gain firsthand knowledge of how a tea business operates daily in the Japanese countryside.
- Craftsmanship: Learn everything about Japanese tea, from cultivation to brewing and processing methods.
- Entrepreneurship: Understand the logistics and realities behind building a globalized brand from a rural base.
Peak farming and hospitality season. March to mid-April is highly focused on hospitality and cafe operations, while mid-April to May shifts into first-flush tea preparations and busy days harvesting.
Our main farming tasks transition to rigorous field management, hand-weeding, secondary summer harvests, and managing our tea production.
Cafe operations ramp up for the autumn travel peak. Tasks include managing fall tours, autumn harvest, and preparing the fields for winter plant dormancy.
Who We Are Looking For
We are looking for proactive contributors truly interested in Japanese tea craftsmanship and contributing to a small business in the Japanese countryside. Ideal candidates include:
- Self-starters and fast learners comfortable working independently.
- Team players who want to live, work, and genuinely integrate within our community.
- Individuals deeply aligned with our mission who want to provide authentic value back to Wazuka.
Individuals expecting a slow-paced lifestyle retreat, or those primarily looking to use this experience as a personal branding or social media growth tool.
Living in Wazuka
We are located in the Yubune district of Wazuka, a small tea village in the south of Kyoto prefecture. Please keep in mind that we are located deep in the countryside. Public transportation is highly limited, and the town relies entirely on local businesses. There are only a few cafes/restaurants, one Lawson convenience store, one very small grocery market, and a local butcher shop. Living here is a rare opportunity to truly experience authentic rural Japanese life.
- Accommodation: Private room provided in a shared house with communal kitchen and bathroom spaces.
- Meals: Work-day lunches are provided. All other daily meals are self-catered.
- Weekends: Interns enjoy exploring nearby cities on their two days off per week, with access to Nara (40 mins), Kyoto City (80 mins), and Osaka (90 mins).
General Logistics
This is a voluntary internship position; we do not charge a program fee, and participants are unpaid. Interns are responsible for handling their own expenses, including:
- Round-trip flights and local transportation to/from Wazuka.
- Comprehensive travel insurance and personal medications.
- Daily breakfasts and independent evening meals.
- Personal entertainment and discretionary expenses.
Ready to intern with our team?
Explore stories from our past interns before submitting your application.
