Japanese tea glossary
Hōjicha
Short answer: hōjicha, often written hojicha without the macron, is a roasted Japanese green tea. It may be made from sencha, bancha or sorted material including leaves and stems. Roasting gives it a brown colour and a toasted aroma.
Roasting and category
Hōjicha remains a processed green tea. Roasting is not fermentation. The base tea, proportion of leaves or stems and degree of roasting strongly affect the result, so the name does not imply one origin or one flavour profile.
Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture describes hōjicha made by roasting sencha or kawayanagi. Other official material also includes bancha and stems among the possible bases. When comparing products, check the stated base tea, region, roast level and brewing guidance instead of relying on colour alone.
Caffeine and brewing
Roasting may reduce caffeine and bitterness, but “roasted” does not mean “caffeine-free”. The final amount depends on the source tea, dose, water temperature and infusion time. This cannot support medical advice for pregnancy, children or caffeine-sensitive people.
MAFF suggests water around 90 to 100°C for about 30 seconds to one minute to emphasize the roasted aroma. Treat this as a starting point and adapt it to the product.
Official sources
Sources checked 13 July 2026.
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Last review
Definition checked 13 July 2026.