Green Tea | February 22, 2023 | C. Xu

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

Welcome to our Guide to Hojicha Tea! Whether you're exploring the different types of hojicha or learning how to make hojicha at home, 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 the roasting process— also draws more people to drink it.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

Types of hojicha, from loose-leaf to powdered hojicha
The benefits of hojicha and why it’s a great daily tea
How to brew hojicha, whether as a hot tea, cold brew, or hojicha latte

But first, let’s dive into what makes hojicha unique.

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.

Origins of Hojicha

Hojicha originated in the 1920s when a Kyoto tea merchant sought to minimize waste. Instead of discarding leftover tea leaves, stems, and twigs, he roasted them over charcoal—creating the hojicha roasted green tea we love and enjoy 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 hojicha powder. Within the loose leaf category, you'll discover various hojicha blends.

1. Loose Leaf Hojicha

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. Loose-leaf hojicha varies depending on the tea parts used in the blend:

Sencha Hojicha – Made from younger, unshaded tea leaves, offering a mild, nutty flavor.
Bancha Hojicha – Uses mature tea leaves, resulting in a stronger roasted taste.
Kukicha Hojicha – Features roasted stems and twigs, giving it a smooth, slightly sweet profile.

When roasted, these components combine to create a fragrant, reddish-brown tea with a robust, toasty flavor.

2. Powdered Hojicha

Hojicha powder is made by deeply roasting tencha leaves, the same leaves used for matcha. 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.

This finely ground hojicha powder has a bold, smoky flavor, perfect for:

Hojicha lattes
Baking recipes
Desserts and smoothies

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.

Hojicha is not just delicious—it also offers several health benefits:

Low Caffeine: The roasting process reduces caffeine levels, making hojicha ideal for evenings, children, and those with caffeine sensitivities.
Rich in Antioxidants: Catechins in hojicha support heart health, blood circulation, and cholesterol regulation.
Digestive Support: Traditionally enjoyed after meals in Japan, hojicha aids digestion and promotes gut health.
Metabolism Boost: Hojicha can help with calorie-burning and metabolic function, making it a great daily wellness tea.

The digestive and metabolism support makes hojicha the perfect tea after meals. For a deeper dive into the health benefit of hojicha tea, read more here.

Hojicha roasted green tea loose leaf brewing in tea pot tetsubin

Brewing Guide: How to Brew 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.

How to Brew Loose Leaf Hojicha

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.

How to Make Cold Brew Hojicha

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.

How to Prepare Hojicha Powder (Whisked & Latte Method)

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.

Hojicha Roasted Green Tea: A Soothing & Versatile Choice

With various types of hojicha, a wide range of health benefits, and multiple ways to brew, hojicha is a must-have for any tea lover’s collection. Whether you’re sipping it hot, brewing it cold, or using hojicha powder in lattes and desserts, this versatile roasted green tea never disappoints.

Happy brewing, and enjoy your cup of hojicha!