A New Journey Begins in the Tea Fields of Kagoshima – Part 2

My First Day in the Tea Fields: Grass, Scratches, and the Hidden Truth of Organic Farming

At 8 AM on a cool April morning, I stood in the middle of a tea field, finally living the moment I’d anticipated for weeks. Today was my first day officially working at the tea farm.

My task was simple—or so I thought: remove weeds by hand.

“It can’t be that difficult,” I naively assumed.

But within minutes, reality struck. The tea bushes were dense and closely packed, making it almost impossible to reach the weeds hiding deep inside. Every time I pushed my hands into the bushes, branches scratched my skin, leaving my arms covered in small, painful cuts.

After just one hour, my back began to ache intensely. Remaining hunched over was far harder than I had ever imagined. Even though it was a cool spring morning, I was already drenched in sweat.

“I can’t imagine doing this in summer,” I thought anxiously.

During a short break, an experienced worker noticed my struggle and kindly approached me.

“Tougher than you expected, isn’t it?” he smiled sympathetically. “Since our farm practices organic farming, we can’t use herbicides. Other tea farms spray chemicals to control weeds, but here we pull everything by hand.”

That shocked me. Of course, I knew organic farming avoids chemical use, but I never realized just how labor-intensive it truly was.

He continued: “We also have Rainforest Alliance certification. That means our farm meets strict international standards to protect the environment, wildlife, and local communities.”

I knew of the Rainforest Alliance—it’s an internationally recognized certification awarded only to farms committed to sustainable farming practices, biodiversity conservation, and fair labor conditions. This certification doesn’t just ensure ecological responsibility but also significantly raises trust in our tea globally.

The break ended, and I returned to my endless battle against weeds.

By noon, after four exhausting hours, my shift finally ended. Returning home, I realized my back hurt so badly that standing up felt nearly impossible. It gave me deep respect for those who perform this grueling work full-time every single day.

This humbling experience reminded me powerfully:

Behind every delicious cup of green tea lies hours of unseen labor.

My next shift is just two days from now.
All I can do is hope my body will recover by then!