Does it get drum-sanded?
Seems like you need a solution to the joints, like some kind of wood grout.
On the very first This Old House series in 1978, the put an end-grain wood floor in the project's kitchen. The installer "grouted" it with a mixture of sawdust and sanding sealer worked in with a float or squeegee. Then they took off the excess with burlap.
I can't recall what they did next; I would let the sealer dry, then screen the floor and apply an oil polyurethane. The finish would need to be compatible with the sealer/grout. If you could use a water base sealer, that would keep the floor as light as possible; an oil sealer will let it go more amber.
If you don't mind the joints as they are, and you want it warm-hued, I'd recommend Waterlox finish.
Casey