If you’ve spent time in Japan — whether at a sushi bar, ramen shop, or neighborhood restaurant — you’ve likely been welcomed with a small cup of bright green tea like the below.
Photo: A simple cup of sencha (Japanese steamed green tea)— the everyday ritual that commonly welcomes you to the table in Japan.
Often, that first pour is sencha (煎茶), a bright, steamed vivid yellow-green tea that encapsulates the everyday rhythm of Japanese tea culture.
Spend a little more time there, and you’ll notice another tea quietly appearing just as often: a warm, amber-colored brew poured after meals, kept in family kitchens, and offered at casual cafés.
That tea is hōjicha (ほうじ茶).
What is hōjicha (ほうじ茶)?
Photo: Hōjicha’s signature amber color comes from roasting — and you’ll find it in both loose-leaf tea and powdered form.
Unlike the vivid, grassy greens most people associate with Japanese tea, hōjicha is roasted, giving it a toasty, nutty, and deeply comforting character.
It’s less about ceremony and precision, and more about everyday ease — the tea people drink at dinner tables, in schools, and at home before bed.
At its core, hōjicha is a roasted Japanese green tea. But that single step of roasting transforms it so completely that it feels like a category of its own.
The Origins of Hōjicha
Hōjicha emerged in Kyoto in the 1920s when a tea merchant began roasting older or unsold tea rather than discarding it. What started as a practical solution to reduce waste became something beloved.
Because hōjicha was often made from bancha (later-harvest leaves) or stems (kukicha), it was historically an “everyday tea” rather than a luxury — which is exactly why it became so cherished and widespread.
Today, hōjicha is as common in Japan as sencha and increasingly popular worldwide for its mellow, comforting character.
Photo: Hōjicha is so popular in Japan today that it’s now a permanent fixture on the Starbucks Japan menu.
How Hōjicha Is Made
Traditional Japanese green teas like sencha or matcha are defined by freshness — bright color, vegetal aroma, and crisp umami.
Hōjicha takes a different path.
It begins like other Japanese green teas: the leaves are first steamed to stop oxidation and dried. The defining step comes next — high-heat roasting, typically between 150–200°C (302–392°F) in a rotating drum or pan. During roasting, the leaves shift from green to reddish-brown, and their aroma moves from fresh and grassy to warm and toasty.
Image: The horoku (焙烙) — the porcelain pot in which tea was traditionally roasted over charcoal, lending hōjicha its name as leaves turned from green to copper-brown.
Roasting changes more than just color. It softens the tea chemically, reducing astringency and lowering caffeine — which is why hōjicha tastes smoother and gentler than most green teas. Where sencha can feel sharp or tannic, hōjicha is round, warm, and approachable.
The base tea also shapes the flavor:
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Stem-based hōjicha tends to be lighter-bodied with a sweeter, honeyed fragrance.
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Leaf-based hōjicha is fuller, deeper, and more robust, with a richer roast character.
In the cup, hōjicha is best described as warm, toasty, and mellow — with notes of roasted nuts, light caramel, and subtle wood smoke, balanced by soft natural sweetness. Instead of the bright green of sencha or matcha, it brews into an amber–reddish liquor that mirrors its cozy flavor.
If matcha feels vivid and luminous, hōjicha feels grounded — less about alertness, more about settling into the moment.
Hōjicha, Caffeine, and When to Drink It
One of hōjicha’s greatest appeals is its naturally low caffeine content. Because it is often made from later-harvest leaves or stems — and because roasting further reduces caffeine — hōjicha is gentle enough to drink in the evening without disturbing sleep.
In Japan, hōjicha is commonly served after meals. Its mild, soothing nature makes it easy on the stomach, and its warm aroma provides a sense of closure at the end of a day.
Many people also enjoy it as a latte, iced, or paired with desserts, where its toasty character complements sweetness beautifully. Compared to coffee, hōjicha offers a calm, steady presence rather than a sharp energy spike — warmth without overstimulation.
Hōjicha Powder vs. Matcha
Matcha is vivid, umami-rich, and ritual-driven — a tea of focus and presence.
Photo: Matcha is shade-grown, finely milled, and defined by vibrant green color, deep umami, and calm focus. It is ceremonial, precise, and often associated with mindfulness and ritual.
Hōjicha, by contrast, is roasted and amber-toned, defined by comfort rather than ceremony. It is casual, forgiving, and deeply soothing — a tea for everyday life.
Notably, hōjicha can also be finely milled into a powder, much like matcha, allowing it to be whisked, blended into lattes, or used in cooking and desserts while retaining its warm, toasty character.
Photo: After traditional roasting, hōjicha can be finely milled into powder — bringing its nutty, caramel warmth to lattes and sweets.
One sharpens the mind; the other softens it. Neither is better — they simply belong to different moments.
Oolong Hōjicha: Familiar, Yet Subtly Different
Traditional hōjicha is made from unoxidized green tea. Some producers, like us, take a different approach: we begin with carefully selected oolong cultivars, roast them in the style of hōjicha, and then grind the roasted leaves into an ultra-fine powder in the style of matcha. The result is what is often called Oolong Hōjicha powder.
Photo: Misty Lava’s Oolong Hōjicha is crafted from premium oolong cultivars, chosen for their natural floral sweetness and layered depth — then finely ground into powder in the style of matcha powder.
Oolong sits between green and black tea in terms of oxidation. We lightly oxidize our leaves — less than 10% — before roasting them in the style of hōjicha, subtly shifting the flavor profile in the cup.
Oolong Hōjicha isn’t a replacement for traditional hōjicha, but a variation: the familiar toasty, nutty warmth remains, while lighter notes of floral sweetness, honey, or soft fruit add depth. The result is a rounder body and more layered finish — still smooth, comforting, and easy to drink.
For hōjicha lovers, it’s a gentle twist; for oolong drinkers, a cozy introduction to roast without losing complexity.
Misty Lava’s Oolong Hōjicha: Terroir Meets Tradition
In Vietnam’s misty Central Highlands, cool mountain air and mineral-rich volcanic soil shape the character of our single-origin Oolong Hōjicha.
Photo: High in the misty Central Highlands, shade-touched tea gardens and volcanic soil nurture the oolong leaves that we later roast and finely mill into Misty Lava’s Oolong Hōjicha powder.
Rather than using typical Japanese bancha (late harvest), we begin with premium oolong cultivars grown in this distinctive terroir.
The ancient red basalt soil lends a naturally creamy, rounded body, while the highland climate encourages slow growth and deeper flavor.
The leaves are fire-roasted in the style of hōjicha, then ultra-finely milled into a smooth, aromatic powder that dissolves beautifully in both hot and cold drinks.
The result is warm, toasty, and grounding like classic hōjicha — but subtly richer and more layered, thanks to oolong’s light oxidation and our highland terroir.
How to Enjoy Oolong Hōjicha
Photo: Our darker, chestnut-brown hōjicha—roasted low and slow from partially oxidized oolong—brings gentle honeyed warmth beneath the toast. Best enjoyed with creamy oat milk and a touch of pure maple syrup.
Because it is powdered, our Oolong Hōjicha blends effortlessly into a wide range of preparations.
Whisked traditionally, it delivers a smooth, velvety texture with nutty, caramelized notes and a gentle, lingering warmth.
As a latte, it becomes creamy and comforting, pairing beautifully with dairy or plant-based milk. Iced, it remains aromatic and rounded, making it an excellent choice for warmer days.
In baking and desserts, Oolong Hōjicha adds a subtle roasted depth that complements chocolate, caramel, and vanilla. It is a tea that moves easily between ritual and creativity — equally at home in a quiet bowl or a modern café drink.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is hōjicha?
Hōjicha is a Japanese roasted green tea made by roasting steamed tea leaves at high temperatures. This process gives it a warm, toasty flavor and reduces bitterness and caffeine.
How is Oolong Hōjicha different from regular hōjicha — and is hōjicha a type of oolong?
Traditional hōjicha is not an oolong — it is made from unoxidized green tea that is roasted to create its signature warm, toasty character. With Oolong Hōjicha, that same roasted core remains, but the base tea is partially oxidized. As a result, Oolong Hōjicha often shows subtle background notes of floral sweetness, honeyed depth, and a rounder, smoother finish.
How much caffeine is in hōjicha?
Hōjicha is naturally low in caffeine, especially when made from stems or later-harvest leaves. This makes it a great choice for evening drinking.
Can I drink hōjicha before bed?
Yes. Its low caffeine content makes it a popular evening tea.
What is the best way to brew hōjicha?
Use hot water at about 185°F (85°C) and steep for 30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on your preference. Hōjicha is forgiving and rarely becomes bitter. If you don’t have a thermometer: bring water to a full boil, then let it rest for about 60–90 seconds before pouring over the leaves.
Is hōjicha good for digestion?
Many people find hōjicha gentle on the stomach and soothing after meals due to its low acidity and smooth character.
Why are there different spellings — hojicha, hōjicha, and houjicha?
They all mean the same thing. Hōjicha is the most technically correct romanization (the macron shows a long “o”). Hojicha is the most common English spelling, and houjicha is an alternate way of writing the same long “o.”
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