Description
What is Hojicha?
Hojicha (焙じ茶) meaning ‘roasted tea’ ,is still a green tea although it is not green in colour. This type of tea is, unlike common green tea, brown in colour as the leaves are roasted in order to achieve their unique character and nutty flavour. Hojicha can originate from either Sencha, Bancha or Kukicha but most often one would find it made from the slightly bigger and coarser leaves of the sun- grown Bancha or Kukicha. As these leaves are more dense and show a firm structure they are not so heat sensitive and can easily be further processed by roasting after steaming and drying. For roasting the tea leaves evenly a charcoal or sand roasting technic is often used for the final step. By bringing the tea to a high temperature almost all of the tea’s caffeine is extracted from the leaves. This makes Hojicha a wonderful drink throughout the day and especially suitable for the evening. Due to its roasted flavor it is often consumed by people who want to change from coffee to tea.
Farmer Profile
Akihiro “Akky” Kita is our president and lead farmer here at Obubu. His desire to make this tea available to the general public is the foundation of Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms. In college, Akky took up a part-time job as a farmhand in Wazuka, and fell in love with the tea of this region. He made the decision then to leave college and devote his time to mastering the art of tea farming. Recognizing the need for independent farmers like himself to spread the joy of drinking Japanese tea, he travels each year during the winter off-season to bring Japanese tea to people all over the world.
Tea Cultivation, Processing and Brewing Guide
English (UK) 
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Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The orange-amber infusion has an aroma of caramelized vegetables and smoky roasted nuts with a hint of caramelized sugar. The taste is full-flavored, smoky and smooth, with notes of fresh roasted nuts and wood and a long finish.
This hojicha is smooth and palate friendly, producing at least three flavorful infusions. I made a separate pot later in the day, forgetting about it for over five minutes, and the resulting tea was still delicious with no bitterness” Heather Porter, 2016
“I was pleasantly surprised as to how flavorful and interesting this tea is. It has a very savory smell to it but when tasting it, the brew is actually calming and rather comforting. I think its great for anytime of day” – Alison, 2016
“This was the first Hojicha iv ever tasted and it was a great introduction-it really blew me away because I had never experienced such wonderful , exciting flavours before. It had a earthy , woody smell with a smooky , oaky robust flavour . It has a lovely seaweed aftertaste . I cant wait to try the dark roasted Hojicha!” – Bhamnini L, 2016
” The umami mixture of roasted kelp and campfire washes over your tongue, again it reminds me of a seaside bonfire. At the very finish transitioning into the aftertaste you get a touch of toasted marshmallow, this delicate sweetness with a bit of smoke lingers for quite a while. I can see this being the perfect end of summer beginning of autumn tea, it reminds me so much of that last visit to the ocean before summer is over, but you can start feeling the chill in the air at night”- Amanda Freeman, 2014
“Sweet and delicious, with a moderate amount of astringency … this is different from the usual Houjicha which I might describe as a mellow, easy-going kind of tea … this one has a certain lively vibe to it that makes it different but still quite delightful. If you like Houjicha … add this to your MUST try list!” – by Sorosi Tea Sisters, 2013
“This was a very interesting Houjicha … I could still taste the vegetative tones of the Sencha in this tea, as well as some of the floral tones of the Sencha … usually, it’s been my experience that with the roasting process, the houjicha becomes an entirely new flavor but here, I taste notes of the Sencha still … I like that though! The vegetative notes taste a bit like roasted vegetables … and I like this unique taste. There is a slight creamy tone to this cup too … it’s a little bit nutty, a little bit toasty and warm, a little bit vegetative and savory, and a little bit sweet and creamy! A really nice cuppa.” – by LiberTEAS, 2013
“Thumbing through the reviews, I was glad to see I wasn’t the only one getting the Sencha flavor still coming through in this cup. It’s definitely a unique experience, as I’m used to that flavor being blitzed away through the roasting” – by Moraiwe, 2013
“The steep color IS a beautiful amber color. I like it for the steep color alone! The flavor is roasty, toasty and surprisingly sweet (and I steeped it hot and for a while). Good stuff!” – by Tea Sipper, 2012
“This is a mighty fine Houjicha but it’s a tad different than your standard Houjicha…it just has that little extra something-something. Sure – it has that robust roasted flavor and notes of woodsy/nutty goodness but it has a sweet-mineral type flavor to it too! I like it!” – by Muppetlove, 2012