What Is Hojicha? The Roasted Green Tea Everyone Is Googling, Explained

Hojicha is a Japanese roasted green tea — and in 2026, India cannot stop Googling it. Searches for 'what is hojicha' hit an all-time high in March 2026 and spiked again in August, with 'hojicha latte' and 'hojicha vs matcha' becoming breakout queries, according to Google's own search-trend data. Unlike matcha's vivid green, hojicha brews a warm amber-brown cup with a toasty, nutty, almost caramel flavour — and far less caffeine. Here is what hojicha is, how it differs from matcha, why Delhi is leading the curiosity, and how to actually drink it.

What is hojicha?

Hojicha (the name means 'roasted tea' in Japanese) is green tea that has been roasted at high heat — typically in a porcelain pot over charcoal. The roasting transforms everything: the leaves turn reddish-brown, the cup brews amber to deep brown, and the flavour becomes toasty, nutty and faintly caramel, with none of green tea's grassy bite. Its origin is famously thrifty: in Kyoto in the 1920s, a tea merchant decided to roast leftover leaves, stems and twigs over charcoal instead of throwing them away, and the result — smoky, mellow, utterly unlike other green teas — caught on across Japan's tea shops. As the Hindustan Times reported, hojicha is traditionally made from ordinary bancha, sencha or kukicha tea, roasted slowly to coax out caramel notes and remove bitterness entirely.

The roast does more than change the taste. Heat breaks down some of the caffeine and softens the catechins, which is why hojicha tastes smoother and less astringent than its unroasted relatives — and why it is commonly served in Japan to children and the elderly, and as an evening tea. The Far East Tea Company puts the numbers side by side: roughly 20 mg of caffeine per 100 mL for hojicha versus about 64 mg per 2 g serving for matcha. It is the rare tea you can sip before bed.

Hojicha vs matcha: the key differences

• Processing: Hojicha is steamed tea roasted at high heat; matcha is shade-grown, steamed and stone-ground into powder without roasting. ('Roasted matcha' sold online is not hojicha — different process, different result.)
• Colour: Hojicha brews amber to deep brown; matcha is vivid opaque green.
• Flavour: Hojicha is roasted, nutty and caramel-sweet with a smoky warmth; matcha is rich, vegetal and umami, sometimes with a bitter edge.
• Caffeine: Hojicha is much lower — about 20 mg per 100 mL — versus matcha's roughly 64 mg per serving, making hojicha the evening-friendly option.
• Preparation: Hojicha is forgiving — steep in hot water like ordinary tea, or whisk as a powder. Matcha demands water no hotter than 80°C, a bamboo whisk and patience.

The shorthand from one Indian report captures it well: if matcha is a spring meadow, hojicha is a late autumn forest. Matcha dazzles; hojicha comforts. For drinkers who find matcha too vegetal or too intense, hojicha's roasted profile is exactly the softer entry point — which is a large part of why the curiosity is growing.

“If matcha is a spring meadow, hojicha is a late autumn forest.”

Why hojicha is trending in India

The numbers come straight from Google. In its 'Search to Sip' trends feature, Google's official India blog reported that hojicha hit an all-time search high in March 2026, then saw another breakout surge in August 2026 as people searched 'what is hojicha' and 'hojicha latte' — with 'hojicha vs matcha' pushed to breakout growth as drinkers compared the two. The Times of India added the geography: Delhi is driving hojicha interest nationally, while the related purple-yam trend (ube) is led by Telangana. The pattern is bigger than one drink — Indians are discovering unfamiliar flavours through search, buying the tools, and recreating café drinks at home.

Cafés are responding. Indian outlets are experimenting with hojicha lattes, cold brews, tiramisus, cookies, cheesecakes and ice creams — the flavour pairs beautifully with milk, which makes the latte the gateway drink. One Bengaluru café lists hojicha alongside black sesame, yuzu and kinako-based drinks.

The HT report even notes fusion potential with Indian desserts — hojicha kulfi, anyone? — and points out that the low caffeine makes it an easier sell to India's evening chai crowd than matcha ever was.

How to drink hojicha

Hojicha is available in both loose-leaf and powdered forms, and it is forgiving to prepare: steep about a teaspoon in hot water (around 80°C) for 30–60 seconds. Enjoy it hot, iced, or as a latte with milk — the roasted notes hold up beautifully against dairy and plant milks alike. In India, brands offering hojicha products include ILEM Japan, Karma Kettle, Brown Living, Dancing Leaf, Sancha Tea Boutique, Satori and Chiran Tea, so you no longer need to import it yourself. If you are visiting its birthplace, Kyoto's old tea shops still roast in the traditional style — a worthy pilgrimage for any tea lover planning a Japan trip.

What happens next

Hojicha's trajectory looks like matcha's a few years ago: search curiosity first, café menus second, home-brewing third. The August breakout suggests the second wave is already underway, and the 'hojicha vs matcha' comparison query indicates drinkers are making active choices rather than just browsing. Whether it becomes a permanent fixture or a passing fascination will depend on the cafés — but with its low caffeine, forgiving preparation and dessert-friendly flavour, hojicha has the best shot of any recent import at becoming an Indian evening habit. The roasted tea that began as a Kyoto merchant's thrifty experiment may end up as Delhi's favourite nightcap.

Is hojicha good for you?

The health pitch is part of the appeal, and it is modest rather than miraculous. Like all green teas, hojicha contains antioxidants and L-theanine — the amino acid associated with calm focus — and coffee publications have long recommended it as a gentler alternative for the caffeine-sensitive, with a cup carrying a fraction of coffee's roughly 100 mg. The Hindustan Times quoted a tea expert noting hojicha's toasty flavour and low caffeine make it 'ideal for consumption and digestive comfort'.

None of this makes it medicine; it makes it a pleasant evening drink that will not keep you up. In a market where every beverage arrives with a wellness claim stapled to it, hojicha's restraint — mellow flavour, low caffeine, easy digestion — is arguably its most honest selling point.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is hojicha?

Hojicha is a Japanese green tea roasted at high heat, which gives it a reddish-brown colour, a toasty nutty-caramel flavour and much lower caffeine than matcha. The name means 'roasted tea' in Japanese, and it originated in 1920s Kyoto when a tea merchant roasted leftover tea leaves and stems over charcoal.

What is the difference between hojicha and matcha?

Hojicha is roasted (amber-brown cup, nutty and sweet, ~20 mg caffeine per 100 mL); matcha is unroasted shade-grown tea stone-ground into powder (vivid green, vegetal and umami, ~64 mg caffeine per serving). Hojicha is mellower, easier to prepare and more evening-friendly.

Why is hojicha trending in India?

Google's search data shows hojicha hit an all-time search high in India in March 2026, with another breakout surge in August 2026 for 'what is hojicha', 'hojicha latte' and 'hojicha vs matcha'. Delhi leads national interest, and cafés across India are adding hojicha lattes and desserts to menus.

How do you make hojicha tea or a hojicha latte?

Steep about a teaspoon of hojicha in hot water (around 80°C) for 30–60 seconds. For a latte, whisk hojicha powder with a little hot water and top with steamed milk. It also works iced, and in desserts like tiramisu, cookies and ice cream.

Where can I buy hojicha in India?

Hojicha is now available from Indian brands including ILEM Japan, Karma Kettle, Brown Living, Dancing Leaf, Sancha Tea Boutique, Satori and Chiran Tea, in both loose-leaf and powdered forms. Cafés in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru also serve hojicha lattes if you want to try it before buying.

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