Japanese Green Tea

Houjicha is smooth and mellow roasted nut flavor, which lingers nicely for a while. We would like you to rediscover the value of our Houjicha items for monthly recommendation.

The first three processing steps of Houjicha tea leaves are the same as for Sencha: 1) Steaming, 2) Drying and Crumpling, and 3) Shaping. But to make Houjicha, the tea goes through one special additional step: 4) Roasting. The smooth and mellow roasted aroma of Houjicha is created by roasted.
Like Sencha, tea leaves for Houjicha are grown with fully-flooded sunlight, so that Houjicha contains beneficial Catechin. And since Houjicha is pan-roasted, it is very low in caffeine. In Japan, Houjicha is commonly given to babies and people who are sick because it is both nourishing and low in caffeine. Besides, Houjicha is perfect for iced tea. It will cool you on a sizzling hot day.

Hibiki-an uses only the highest grade (first harvested, or pruned after harvesting Shincha) tea leaves to make all of our Houjicha items. The finished product is a fresh roasted chestnut-brown color. The leaves are only lightly roasted to maximize the essential flavor of the tea leaves. The flavor is very smooth and the aroma lingers nicely for a while.

Unfortunately many tea companies use low grade tea leaves (second harvested, third harvested, pruned in autumn, etc.) to make their Houjicha. Other Houjicha (not ours!) is roasted too strongly and becomes a dark brown color, so the flavor is smoky and not smooth at all.

Also Houjicha items are all good affordable everyday tea and are favorite beverage of tea farmers all over Japan. Like "fresh roasted" coffee, Houjicha is also most flavorful just after roasting. Needless to say, all of our Houjicha items at Hibiki-an are fresh roasted, packaged just after roasting.

In Japan, Houjicha is considered a good everyday tea. It is one of the most popular everyday teas, along with Sencha. So, it has been enjoyed in various ways: brewed in Kyusu, Iced Tea, decocted (boiled), and so on. And it is usually relatively affordable and quite healthy drink which contains much Catechin and Vitamin C and only a small amount of Caffeine. Because of the low Caffeine and soothing properties, Houjicha is suitable to drink near bedtime and can be given to very young children, even babies.

We arranged two special Houjicha items, Houjicha Super Premium and Houjicha Karigane Super Premium. Each item is the limited edition of 200 packages only available this winter season.
For Houjicha Super Premium, we use only young tea sprouts and add a small quantity of stems from highest grade Matcha to create the unique and excellent smooth and mellow roasted nut aroma.
For Houjicha Karigane Super Premium, we use only stems from highest grade Sencha and add a small quantity of stems from highest grade Matcha to create the unique and excellent sweet and roasted flavor.

Both teas are brighter in color and the rich flavor goes far beyond regular Houjicha and Houjicha Karigane. You are sure to delight in the extraordinary rich roasted flavor that lingers nicely in the mouth for a while.

(visit each Special Houjicha tea page)

It is said that the origin of Houjicha is Kyo Bancha. Kyo Bancha was originally made by pruned tea leaves from the tea tree for the highest grade, hand picked Matcha and Gyokuro.
Machine trimmed tea trees are shaped into a uniform semicircle. In contrast, tea trees picked by hand grow upward naturally, as shown below. Hand picked tea trees grow to a height of 1 to 1.5m (3.28 to 4.92ft) around harvest season. Just after harvest, farmers prune around the base of the tea tree (about 40cm / 1.31ft). The pruned tea leaves and stems are steamed, dried in the sun, and then roasted. It is traditional Kyo Bancha and the origin of Houjicha. Now, Houjicha is made by roasting Sencha.
Houjicha is everyday tea for people living in Kyoto. Houjicha is enjoyed at every meal, with an afternoon snack, near bedtime, and so on. Hot brewed Houjicha warms not only the body but the heart and spirit during cold winters. And in the summer, Iced Houjicha is very cooling and refreshing.
The highest grade Houjicha, like our Houjicha Super Premium and Houjicha Karigane Super Premium, is used at Tea Ceremony schools. The highest grade Houjicha is enjoyed at special occasions to open the heart and spirit. Houjicha is an essential part of daily life for the people of Kyoto.

Houjicha flavor depends on two important factors: geographic features of the tea farm location, and freshness.
It is said that tea farms which have specific geographic features for growing the highest grade Sencha can also grow tea leaves for excellent Houjicha. The tea farm should be located in mountain ravines, with mineral-rich soil. The misty climate, sloping hills, warm days and cool nights create the excellent flavor of Houjicha. All of our Houjicha is grown only at tea farms suitable for highest grade Sencha in the Uji region.
Freshness is also most important for Houjicha. The excellent roasted aroma diminishes with time. Houjicha usually keeps in good condition for a year or more if preserved appropriately. However, the best excellent roasted aroma of Houjicha can be enjoyed within a few months after roasting. We are constantly roasting new batches of Houjicha so that we can ship all our Houjicha teas within two weeks of the time it is roasted. With our Houjicha, you can experience the full flavor of freshly roasted tea leaves.

To enjoy Houjicha or Houjicha Karigane, there are three points to remember.
Houjicha / Houjicha Karigane is only half the weight of Sencha tea leaves; it is 50% lighter. So, please put about two times (2x) the cubical content of Houjicha or Houjicha Karigane tea leaves in the tea pot (Kyusu).
To extract the excellent nutty and smooth aroma from Houjicha, please brew the tea leaves in boiling water for a short time, 15 to 30 seconds.
Like "fresh roasted" coffee, Houjicha / Houjicha Karigane is also most flavorful just after roasting. Please purchase Houjicha packaged just after roasting. Needless to say, all of our Houjicha items at Hibiki-an are fresh roasted, specially packaged just after roasting.
All of our teas at Hibiki-an may be brewed three times with full flavor and excellent results, including our Houjicha.

(Brewing way for 2cups)
Tea leaves: 3 tablespoons (7-8g)
Water temperature: boiling water
Amount of water: 200ml (7.04fl oz)
Waiting time: 15 - 30sec.

[Limited] Houjicha Super Premium
I ordered this Tea a few weeks ago and I really got to enjoy it after a few cups. Since you can brew this tea with boiling water you dont have to adjust the temperature just infuse it with boiling water count up to 30 and pour it into your teacup. Price and quality of this tea are great so if you want to try sth. special go ahead and buy this one as long as its still available.
--- Male, Germany

My family drink houjicha tea all the time in the winter, so we ordered this special version right away. We were not disappointed. Houjicha is always a hearty tea, but this Super Premium has many nuances and subtle flavors we had not experienced with the other brands of houjicha. I highly recommend this tea for grownups and children!
--- Female, United States

Houjicha Super Premium is exactly the kind of tea I want to drink in winter, when it's so cold outside. Some people like hot chocolate in winter, but personally I prefer Houjicha. It's more warming, and also it has no caffeine, so you can drink Houjicha in the late afternoon or before bedtime without it keeping you up all night. This style of Houjicha is so unique because of the sweetness and complex layers of flavor. You get hints of fresh green tea, roasted nuts and grains, coffee, and black tea. Also there are deep earthy undertones of oak wood and autumn leaves. The top notes are a mild sweetness like a touch of brown sugar. Overall, it's a very complex tea, perfect for those who like to experiment with new flavors and styles of green tea. If this is your first time to try Japanese green tea, I suggest Hibiki-an's Sencha. If you have never tried Houjicha, I suggest Hibiki-an's Houjicha (Bancha). But if you have been drinking tea for a while and want something really special and unique, I definitely suggest this tea; it's especially perfect for winter.
--- Female, United States

In contrast to the more robust regular Houjicha, this Super Premium version has a smooth, mellow and sweet flavour. Very pleasant roasted aroma. Well worth a try.
--- Male, United Kingdom

[Limited] Houjicha Karigane Super Premium
Houjicha Karigane Super Premium is the perfect hot tea for winter and early spring. It's very hearty and warming. After I've been outside shoveling snow, all I want is a steaming hot cup of this tea. The blend of roasted stems and twigs from high quality Sencha and Matcha create an extremely rich and complex flavor like roasted grains, coffee, and black tea. You'll find deep earthy undertones of oak wood and autumn leaves and top notes of sweet brown sugar and green grass. Overall, it's a very complex tea, perfect for those who like to experiment with new flavors and styles of tea. If this is your first time to try Japanese green tea, I suggest Hibiki-an's Sencha. If you have never tried Houjicha, I suggest Hibiki-an's Houjicha (Bancha). But if you have been drinking tea for a while and want something really special and unique, I definitely suggest this tea, along with their Houjicha Super Premium.
--- Female, United States

Houjicha
After trying many different green teas, this is the only one I continue to come back for.
--- Female, United States

I decided to try Hibiki-an's Houjicha as an affordable tea to drink at night due to the low caffeine content. It turned out to be a very pleasant surprise and is now one of my personal favourites. Delightful roasted aroma with a smooth after-taste.
--- Male, United Kingdom

An easy substitute for morning coffee. Low in caffine and pairs nicely with most breakfast choices. Very plesent taste and a plesent, lasting "finish".
--- Male, United States

Recently I tried for the first time Houjicha (Bancha) which gave great satisfaction and, despite the low caffeine, is a wonderful energy-giving tea like nothing else I ever tasted. Yet another fine product from the wonderful Hibiki-an people. And of course as a bonus, the gift of the matcha karigane pinnacle to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the firm prompts one to contemplate the many future opportunities to savor the delightful products of this magnificent company.
--- Male, United States

Houjicha Karigane
This is outstanding tea by any measure. Extremely fragrant, surprisingly complex, somewhat creamy and very well balanced. In short, delicious. Importantly, this tea is very forgiving when it comes to brewing - it is really difficult to ruin the taste.
--- Male, Poland

Houjicha Karigane is at the top of the offerings in the Houjicha lineup. This is the sweet, complex tea with descriptions most closely resembling those associated with fine wine tastings. This is a wow tea. It has the roastyness of my other favorite Houjicha Super Premium but more sweet and also complex. This tea awakens creative ideas in food pairings also. It is also a tea that can be enjoyed in its most simple form. With all my Houjicha teas I used loosely and barely filled 1/4 measuring cup of tea which is the same as 7.5g of tea to 7ounces or 200ml of hot off the boil water. Then I used my favorite super quick decanting tea pot with the 1/2 inch or 1cm sized spout hole. I wanted to only expose the tea to water for 25 seconds then strain all the fines through a stainless steel super fine made in Japan strainer. That way I prepared a beautiful golden broth of amazing tea. This tea like many other Hibiki-an teas are more then just GOOD! So maybe they will add another category in their rating choices, but then maybe you would not get as many people writing informative reviews to help stress how much better the tea is.
--- Female, United States

This is an excellent houjicha, the best I've had outside of kaiseki restaurants. The initial aroma is a lovely and produces an excellently balanced tea... pleasantly sweet and lightly roasted. This is probably my favorite tea in general, it just gives you such a nice warm and nostalgic feeling.
In comparison to normal houjicha, this tea is mellower, and sweeter. I would find it hard to go back to the normal houjicha after this.
--- Male, United States

Organic Houjicha
I am extremely impressed by this Houjicha from Hibiki-an. The flavor is subtle: solid mouthfeel, with smoky, almost woodsy undertones.
Due to my caffeine sensitivity, I really appreciate the low caffeine content of this Houjicha. This enables me to drink it in the afternoon without affecting my sleep. Also, as an aside, all teas I've ordered from Hibiki-an arrive in an extremely fresh condition, which is not something that can be said of many other companies.
Bottom-line: I highly recommend this tea. The smoky, mature taste of Houjicha makes it truly unique and a nice counterpoint to the traditional Senchas.
--- Male, United States

I am totally addictive to this tea!
--- Female, United States

I was a little unsure about this tea at first. After drinking a few cups I developed a taste for it. It makes a very nice evening tea. I also like it as an iced tea. In fact I am drinking a glass of Houjicha iced tea as I am writing this review. Even the ice cubes are made with Houjicha.
Another excellent product provided by Hibiki-an.
--- Male, United States

Recently tried this tea. I am a long time puer drinker, to understand my perspective. Have a fondness for tea with an "edge".
This tea was a pleasant surprise. The liquor is clear amber and the aroma honey sweet. There is no heaviness of smoke, though it is "roasted". The taste has no astringency at any point. There is a light but full bodied mouth feel and surprising sweet finish that lingers nicely. I appreciate the low caffeine content and enjoy this tea late in the day. It is actually soothing/calming,,,no jitters.
Overall quite a nice surprise and will be added to my cupboard for regular brewing.
This was brewed more puer style. One large tea scoop per cup with boiling water for 15 seconds(in porcelain no yixing). I did not use multiple brews however.
--- Male, United States

Teabag Houjicha
This Houjicha is just fantastic, it's my first purchase from Hibiki-an, and I have to say it was a good choice. I tried the Houjicha because I have never tried this style of tea before, and I must say I was pleasently pleased by the arouma and the taste of this brand of tea. I will soon be purchasing some Macha tea as well as I am making Japanese tea bowls in my begining ceramics class and can't wait to drink these fantastic teas from my own hand-made tea bowls... Hibiki-an is number one in my book...
--- Male, United States

First of all, I find the design of the teabags is really cute and functional. When I first drank this tea, I was amazed by the full, round flavour of it. I had not expected such quality at that price.
Full marks, very recommendable!
--- Male, Switzerland