When working with .obj files, I find it convenient to first convert them to JSON before loading them into Three.js.
To achieve this conversion, I rely on a helpful script called convert_obj_three.py. By running this script, the conversion process is simplified and taken care of automatically.
For the loading aspect, here is a handy snippet that demonstrates how to load the converted file and manipulate the mesh:
function addMapMesh()
{
var loader = new THREE.JSONLoader();
loader.load("convertedFile.js", function(geometry){
mesh = new THREE.Mesh( geometry, new THREE.MeshFaceMaterial(geometry.materials));
mesh.position.x -= 5.0;
mesh.scale.x = mesh.scale.y = mesh.scale.z = 0.05;
mesh.rotation.x = .25*Math.PI;
scene.add(mesh);
//ensure mesh is fully loaded before rendering
loadRestOfScene()
});
}