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Hojicha (sometimes spelled houjicha) is a Japanese green tea that has been roasted at a high temperature. It is usually made of bancha, but it can also be composed of sencha or kukicha. The process of making hojicha first came about in Kyoto, during the 1920s. It is believed that roasting the leaves over charcoal was a way for merchants to make low grade tea more desirable. The leaves of this roasted tea have a crimson-brown colour, along with a strong, nutty aroma.
The Japanese are a thrifty lot. Hojicha is another creative use of tea by-products. Hojicha was commercialized when mechanical harvesters were used in Japan (there is a labor shortage there). The tea plant was shorn of everything, and the mess was separated later.The best leaves became Sencha, the larger leaves became Yanagi, and the stems Hojicha.Tea terms in Japan have several meanings, and Hojicha can mean several types of tea. For us, it is roasted twigs.he best leaves became Sencha, the larger leaves became Yanagi, and the stems Hojicha. Tea terms in Japan have several meanings, and Hojicha can mean several types of tea. For us, it is roasted twigs.