Green Tea | February 22, 2023 | J. Du

A Guide to Hojicha: Different Types, Benefits, and How to Brew

Welcome to our Guide to Hojicha Tea! Whether you're exploring the various types of hojicha or seeking tips for hojicha tea preparation, you've come to the right place.

Hojicha Roasted Green tea is popular in Japan for its fragrant aroma, toasty and nutty flavors and it's soothing benefits. Hojicha holds a prominent place in many Japanese homes, and is even available bottled and for sale in many convenient stores.

Not only does its unique flavor attract drinkers, but its low caffeine content, a result of its processing method, also draws more people to drink it. In this guide, we will discuss the different types of hojicha, different health benefits, as well as how to brew it, but first, we will further explain what exactly Hojicha Roasted Green Tea is.

hojicha tea pile in white background beside a wooden spoon

What is Hojicha Roasted Green Tea?

Hojicha is a green tea, however, what makes it different from typical green teas is that instead of being steamed after harvesting like Japanese sencha, hojicha goes through an additional roasting step. In Japanese, hoji (or houji) comes from the word, houjiru (焙じる) meaning to roast and cha means tea.

The origins of hojicha date back to the 1920s when a tea merchant wanted to use all of the tea leftovers. Instead of throwing them away, the merchant roasted the tea leaves, stalks, twigs, and stems over charcoal. This experiment led to the Hojicha we know and love today.

hot brewed hojicha tea in a double walled glass teacup next to a glass infuser teapot

What types of Hojicha Roasted Green Tea are there?

Overall, you'll encounter two main types of hojicha available on the market: loose leaf hojicha and powdered hojicha. Within the loose leaf category, you'll discover various hojicha blends.

Originally, tea artisans crafted hojicha to minimize waste in the tea industry by utilizing parts of the tea plant that would have otherwise gone unused if they weren't young leaves. Consequently, it's common to find various parts of the tea plant in your hojicha mix. You might encounter sencha, the unshaded, smaller, and younger tea leaves, bancha, the larger, more mature tea leaves, and kukicha, the stem of the tea plant. Once blended and roasted, this produces a reddish-brown colored tea with a robust roasted aroma and flavor. The next type of hojicha available on the market is hojicha roasted green tea powder.

Hojicha powder is made from deeply roasted tencha leaves. Tencha refers to the tea leaves that have been steamed and sorted and are best known for being turned into matcha green tea powder due to its high quality of being from the first harvest.

Tencha leaves have the most vibrant color, richest flavors, and nutrients. However, for hojicha powder, producers roast the tencha leaves and then grind them to produce a high-quality hojicha powder. Its rich and bold flavor makes it an excellent choice for lattes and other baked desserts.

For delicious baking ideas with hojicha powder, make sure to check out all of our recipes.

brewed hojicha tea in a white glazed ceramic tea cup beside senbird tea's hojicha yuu tin placed on top of a wooden tray

What are the health benefits of Hojicha?

The information presented in this article is in no way intended as medical advice or as a substitute for medical treatment. You should always consult with your physician or other health care professional before adopting any treatment for a health problem.

One reason for hojicha's popularity is its many health benefits. Due to its low caffeine content resulting from high-temperature roasting, hojicha is favored by those with caffeine sensitivities, children, and the elderly. Additionaly, hojicha is also known to help fight colds and strengthen the immune system.

The naturally occurring catechins found in the tea help aid your circulatory system, regulating your blood pressure and cholesterol. Another great health benefit of hojicha and another reason it is so popular is its digestive benefits. It is the perfect tea to drink during or after any meal.

In Japan, it is especially popular to drink after dinnertime or late in the evening. Hojicha helps boost the body's metabolism while also increasing your body's calorie use. The healthy fibers will also help keep your colon healthy.

Hojicha roasted green tea loose leaf brewing in tea pot tetsubin

What is the best way to prepare Hojicha?

You can enjoy Hojicha roasted green tea in many forms. With its bold, nutty taste and toasty warm aroma, you’ll definitely want to know all the different ways you can prepare a good cup of hojicha.

Hojicha Tea Hot Brewing Guide

Step 1: Heat fresh, filtered water until boiled. Let cool very slightly — water close to 203°F (95°C) is ideal for bringing out the fragrance and flavor in Hojicha.
Step 2: Pour water over 1 tablespoon of tea leaves per cup.
Step 3: Steep for 1-2 minutes. You can step all of our teas up to 3 times.

Cold Hojicha Tea Brewing Guide

Simply add the desired amount of Hojicha tea leaves into a container or bottle and pour boiling water until the top. Let the tea steep and cool down before putting it in the fridge to chill. After 2-3 hours, the cold brew Hojicha is ready. Cold-brew tea lasts in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Hojicha Tea Powder Preparation Guide

Step 1: Add 1 teaspoon or 2 chashaku spoons of hojicha (~2g) into the chawan bowl. We highly recommend sifting the hojicha powder to remove any clumps.
Step 2: Pour 70ml (2.46fl oz) of hot water over the hojicha.
Step 3: Whisk the hojicha with a bamboo whisk (chasen) until a rich foam covers the top. After whisking, drink immediately when the hojicha is fresh and covered with a foam top.
Step 4: For a Hojicha Latte, simply pour the freshly whisked Hojicha over a cup of hot or cold milk.

With its various types, wide range of health benefits, and versatile preparation methods, Hojicha Roasted Green Tea makes a great staple for your pantry. You can enjoy it in numerous ways, and its flavor will never disappoint.

Happy brewing, and enjoy your cup of hojicha!