foodbriefs
0:53in productionCh. 1 · What the dish is and where it came from/ 0:53 · ceiling 15 min
Drinks

Hōjicha

A roasted Japanese green tea made by heating bancha or other teas in a porcelain pot over charcoal.

Hōjicha is a Japanese green tea. Its name means 'roasted tea'.

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Chapters & takeaways7
  1. 0:00
    What the dish is and where it came from

    Hōjicha is a Japanese green tea.

  2. 0:04
    How it works, in terms someone would actually use

    It is roasted in a porcelain pot over charcoal at 150 °C to prevent oxidation and produce a light golden colour.

  3. 0:12
    What it gets right

    It has lower astringency and less caffeine than other Japanese green teas due to catechin loss during roasting.

  4. 0:19
    What it does not

    It does not retain the higher catechin levels or caffeine content typical of unroasted Japanese green teas.

  5. 0:26
    What it changed

    It originated in 1920 when a Kyoto merchant roasted unsaleable bancha, creating a new flavor from existing 'everyday tea'.

  6. 0:34
    Who it is for, and who it is not

    It is for people seeking a low-caffeine, low-astringency Japanese green tea.

  7. 0:45
    Is it worth your time

    It is worth your time if you want a milder, less caffeinated Japanese green tea with a distinct roasted character.

Worth your time?

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What works
  • It has lower astringency and less caffeine than other Japanese green teas due to catechin loss during roasting.
What does not
  • It does not retain the higher catechin levels or caffeine content typical of unroasted Japanese green teas.
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      The written brief1 min read

      What the dish is and where it came from

      Hōjicha is a Japanese green tea. Its name means ‘roasted tea’.

      How it works, in terms someone would actually use

      It is roasted in a porcelain pot over charcoal at 150 °C to prevent oxidation and produce a light golden colour.

      What it gets right

      It has lower astringency and less caffeine than other Japanese green teas due to catechin loss during roasting.

      What it does not

      It does not retain the higher catechin levels or caffeine content typical of unroasted Japanese green teas.

      What it changed

      It originated in 1920 when a Kyoto merchant roasted unsaleable bancha, creating a new flavor from existing ‘everyday tea’.

      Who it is for, and who it is not

      It is for people seeking a low-caffeine, low-astringency Japanese green tea. It is not exclusively for those who prefer bancha, since sencha and kukicha varieties also exist.

      Is it worth your time

      It is worth your time if you want a milder, less caffeinated Japanese green tea with a distinct roasted character.

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