Hojicha is a roasted green tea with a lovely dry, woody taste that is both soothing and grounding. Due to the roasting process the leaves and liquor are not green, but of a beautiful reddy-brown hue. Hojicha is great for any time of day, however with its low caffeine content it's perfect to be enjoyed in the evenings. As a general comparison, an average cup of sencha contains approximately 30mg of caffeine, whilst a cup of hojicha only 7.7mg.

Most hojichas are composed of late-harvest leaves and stems of sencha, also known as 'bancha'. The tea itself became highly popularised throughout the 20th century due to the fact that farmers could greatly minimise organic waste and subsequently maximise utility from sencha production.

The hojicha that we stock at Yamoku however is of a premium quality, using the leaves from the first harvest. This offers a tantalising depth of flavour and quality that is missed in lower quality hojicha leaves.

Tea roasting originated in China during the 17th century, making its way to Japan shortly after. The number of tea masters who are trained in the traditional roasting methods today is very low, making true artisanal roasted tea a rarity.

Another type of tea that is produced using these special methods is kamairicha, where the artform is used to draw out infinitely subtle characteristics from the tea leaves. 

Tea can be pan fired or roasted in iron vessels, producing a toasted nutty flavour in the hojicha, with smoky undertones that some compare with popular Chinese teas such as Oolong.

Like other Japanese green teas, hojicha goes through a steaming process after being picked. Once the leaves are steamed, rolled and dried, another stage is added whereby the leaves and stems are expertly roasted over charcoal to draw out the subtle qualities of the tea. The result is hojicha, offering a wonderful nutty fragrance, and a smooth yet earthy umami flavour lingering on the palate.