Japan Houjicha – Organic Green Tea

Brew & Taste

This tea has a golden caramel color brimming with intense notes of tea. Yet the flavor lines are nicely rounded by roasting and a subtle sweetness prevails.

Origins

Even a seemingly hopeless situation can result in a miraculous discovery. This happened with houjicha. In 1920, a Kyoto tea merchant was truly desperate. His green tea, which he had failed to sell, had already begun to age and was in danger of becoming stale. So he decided to do something very unusual. He roasted the tea leaves to give them new strength and fell in love with the result.

And not only him, houjicha soon became a very popular drink in Japan. The growth and harvesting process is like that of other bancha teas. Although in this particular case, an organic approach is strictly followed without adding any unnecessary chemical fertilizers. After the tea leaves have wilted, they are carefully rolled up and spread onto metal plates. This is followed by a sharp and very short roasting over hot coals, which gives the houjicha its typical color and aroma.

It therefore looks like black tea, but after the first taste it is clear that it still retains the characteristic features of green tea. However, by restoration, houjicha has lost its famous "sharpness". All the flavors are mellowed, rounded and there is no hint of astringency. On the contrary, you will be greeted by sweetness with strong roasted and nutty notes. The biggest difference, however, is the minimal caffeine content, so you can indulge in houjicha all day long without worrying about sleepless nights.

Some liken houjicha to oolong, but the infusion of long, unfurled leaves is simply unique. You can also find houjicha made from sencha or kukicha on the market, but bancha clearly tops the popularity charts. Thanks to its relatively high vitamin C and catechin content and the aforementioned low caffeine content, it is also popular with children or as a quick remedy for the common cold.

Tea packaging preview

We pack our teas in a strong, zip-lock aluminum packet which allows you to easily re-seal its contents. This container protects the quality of the tea against humidity, light or foreign odors, all of which could noticeably affect the quality of the brew.