What Is Hojicha? Tea, Powder & Recipes Explained

Hojicha is Japanese roasted green tea. Its warm, toasted aroma can be enjoyed in a clear cup of brewed tea or in a creamy latte. The first choice is the format: loose leaves and tea bags are steeped, while finely ground hojicha powder is mixed directly into drinks and recipes.

This guide helps you choose a format, explore Luna Matcha’s selection, and find a recipe to try.

What Is Hojicha?

Hojicha (ほうじ茶, also spelled houjicha) is made by roasting green tea leaves, stems, or a mixture of both. Roasting gives the tea its characteristic brown color and toasted aroma. The starting tea has already been processed as green tea; roasting is an additional step, not simply an alternative to steaming.

Hojicha and matcha both come from the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, but they are different products. Matcha is made from tencha and is typically green, with vegetal and umami notes. Hojicha has a roasted flavor and is available as leaves, tea bags, and powder.

What Does Hojicha Taste Like?

Hojicha can have aromas reminiscent of toasted nuts, roasted grain, wood, cocoa, or caramel. These descriptions refer to the tea’s flavor, not ingredients added to plain hojicha. The character varies with the tea material, roast, and preparation.

Brewed hojicha is generally lighter in body than a powdered drink. In a latte, milk softens the roasted flavor and adds creaminess. Hojicha is not necessarily sweetened, and it can still taste bitter or drying if prepared too strongly.

Hojicha Powder, Loose Leaves, or Tea Bags?

Powder disperses in liquid rather than dissolving completely. Sifting and whisking with a little warm water help reduce clumps; some settling is normal.

You can also make a latte with a concentrated infusion of leaves or tea bags. It needs its own brewing instructions, however: leaves and powder are not interchangeable spoon for spoon. Our basic latte recipe uses powder.

Does Hojicha Have Caffeine?

Yes. Hojicha is not caffeine-free. A mellow taste or brown color does not tell you how much caffeine is in a serving.

The amount depends on the tea material, serving size, and preparation. With brewed tea, you drink an infusion and remove the leaves. With powdered hojicha, the ground tea remains in your drink. A caffeine value for brewed hojicha should therefore not be applied to a powder-based latte.

We do not publish a single caffeine figure for all of these products without product-specific data. If you are limiting caffeine, check the producer’s information and consider how much tea you use. Adding milk dilutes the drink but does not remove its caffeine.

For more context, see our Japanese tea and coffee caffeine guide.

Choose Your Hojicha at Luna Matcha

For Lattes and Recipes: Hojicha Powders

• Luna Matcha Aroma Rich — Our organic hojicha powder for roasted-tea drinks and recipes.
• Marukyu Koyamaen Hojicha Powder A — Unsweetened Japanese roasted green tea powder for lattes, baking, and desserts.
• Marukyu Koyamaen Hojicha Powder B — Another unsweetened option for milk-based drinks and food preparation.

When changing powders, taste and adjust the recipe. There is no single quantity that produces exactly the same result with every powder and milk combination.

For Brewed Tea: Marukyu Koyamaen and Hoshino Seichaen

For a clear cup to enjoy without milk, explore our hojicha for steeping. Tea bags contain tea for brewing; they are a different format from our latte powders.

• Marukyu Koyamaen Hojicha Tea Bags — Individually portioned sachets for convenient brewing.
• Hoshino Seichaen Yame Hojicha Tea Bags — Roasted Japanese tea from the Yame producer in a convenient tea-bag format.
• Hoshino Seichaen Yame Hojicha Large Tea Bags — A larger brewing format; follow the product’s water quantity and preparation directions.

Browse our Japanese tea collection for the current range, including loose-leaf selections. Check each product page for its format, brewing instructions, and availability.

How to Prepare Hojicha

Brewing Leaves or Tea Bags

Start with the producer’s directions for tea quantity, water temperature, water volume, and steeping time. Different cup-size and large tea bags are designed for different amounts of water. Strain the leaves or remove the bag when the infusion is ready, then adjust the next brew to taste.

Making a Powder-Based Latte

Sift the powder, whisk it with a small amount of warm water, then add milk and optional sweetener. For measured ingredients and hot or iced instructions, use our creamy hojicha latte recipe.

Hojicha Recipes to Explore

Start with the classic latte, then explore chocolate, kinako, or a dessert. Follow the format and measurements specified in each recipe.

• Creamy Hojicha Latte — The basic hot or iced drink.
• Hojicha Mocha — Roasted tea with chocolate and milk.
• Hojicha Hot Chocolate — A warm chocolate drink with roasted-tea flavor.
• Hojicha Kinako Latte — A latte with roasted soybean powder.
• Hojicha Jelly — A chilled tea dessert.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is hojicha black tea?

No. Its brown color comes from roasting green tea. Black tea gets its characteristic color and flavor through a different process involving oxidation.

Does hojicha taste like coffee?

Some roasted notes may appeal to coffee drinkers, but hojicha has its own tea flavor. A plain hojicha latte contains no coffee unless it is added separately.

Is hojicha powder “brown matcha”?

It is a useful visual comparison, but they are different teas. Hojicha powder is ground roasted tea; matcha is made from tencha.

Which format should I buy first?

For an easy cup of brewed tea, start with tea bags. Choose loose leaves if you enjoy brewing with a teapot, or powder if your main goal is making lattes and desserts.

How should I store hojicha?

Follow the package instructions. Keep the tea tightly closed and protected from moisture, heat, light, and strong odors. Use a clean, dry spoon for powder.

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