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Short answer: Hojicha is a Japanese green tea made by roasting sencha or bancha leaves at about 160 to 180°C, which turns them brown and gives the tea a toasty, nutty flavor with little bitterness. It is often called a low-caffeine tea, but Japan's official food composition tables list brewed hojicha at about 20 mg of caffeine per 100 mL, the same as brewed sencha. Matcha usually has more caffeine per serving because you drink the whole powdered leaf.
Hojicha (also spelled houjicha) has become a café favorite as an alternative to matcha, especially in lattes. Here is what hojicha is, how it tastes, how it compares with matcha, how much caffeine it really has, what the research says about its benefits, and how to brew it.
What you'll learn
- What hojicha is and how it is made
- How hojicha compares with matcha
- How much caffeine is in hojicha, and whether it is really low
- What the research says about hojicha, and how to brew it
What is hojicha?
Hojicha is roasted green tea. It is made by roasting sencha or bancha (a later-harvest green tea) at about 160 to 180°C (320 to 356°F) (Kurosaka et al., 2024). It comes from the same tea plant as other green teas, and Japan's food composition tables list it with the green teas (MEXT Japan). Roasting turns the leaves from green to brown, and the brewed tea is amber to reddish brown rather than green.
You can buy hojicha as loose leaves, in tea bags, or as a fine powder. The powder is used much like matcha, in lattes and desserts.
What does hojicha taste like?
Hojicha tastes toasty and nutty, with a light astringency (Kurosaka et al., 2024) and less of the grassy, bitter edge of unroasted green tea. Roasting is what changes the flavor: in a lab study of roasted teas made from steamed green tea, heavy roasting lowered most catechins (the main polyphenols in green tea) and greatly increased roasted-aroma compounds such as pyrazines, furans and pyrroles (Zhu et al., 2021). The result is often compared to toasted grain or light caramel. For comparison, see what does matcha taste like?
Hojicha vs matcha: what's the difference?
Both are Japanese green teas, but they are made and enjoyed very differently.
| Hojicha | Matcha | |
|---|---|---|
| How it's made | Sencha or bancha leaves roasted at about 160 to 180°C (Kurosaka et al., 2024) | Shade-grown tea leaves ground into a fine powder (see what is matcha?) |
| Color | Brown leaves; amber to reddish-brown tea | Bright green |
| Flavor | Toasty, nutty, little bitterness | Grassy, savory (umami), can be bitter |
| How you drink it | Usually steeped, then the leaves are removed | Whisked into water or milk; you drink the whole leaf |
| Caffeine | About 20 mg per 100 mL brewed (MEXT Japan) | About 28 to 70 mg in a drink made with 2 g of powder (Meyer et al., 2023; Koláčková et al., 2022) |
| Catechins and theanine | Lower than unroasted green tea (Kurosaka et al., 2024) | Not reduced by roasting, and you consume the whole leaf |
In short: choose hojicha if you want a mellow, toasty cup with less bitterness; choose matcha if you want a stronger, greener tea with more caffeine and more of the leaf's compounds per serving. Hojicha powder used in a latte is still whole leaf, so it will have more caffeine than a cup of steeped hojicha.
How much caffeine is in hojicha?
Japan's official Standard Tables of Food Composition list brewed hojicha at 0.02 g of caffeine per 100 g, or about 20 mg per 100 mL (MEXT Japan). That is very roughly 50 mg in an 8-ounce cup brewed the same way, by our conversion, and the same as the tables list for brewed sencha. The tables round to the nearest 0.01 g, so treat these as approximate.
| Japanese tea, brewed (MEXT) | Caffeine per 100 mL | Brewing method in the tables |
|---|---|---|
| Gyokuro | 160 mg | 10 g tea, 60 mL water at 60°C, 2.5 minutes |
| Black tea | 30 mg | 5 g tea, 360 mL boiling water, 1.5 to 4 minutes |
| Sencha | 20 mg | 10 g tea, 430 mL water at 90°C, 1 minute |
| Hojicha | 20 mg | 15 g tea, 650 mL water at 90°C, 30 seconds |
| Oolong | 20 mg | 15 g tea, 650 mL water at 90°C, 30 seconds |
| Genmaicha | 10 mg | 15 g tea, 650 mL water at 90°C, 30 seconds |
| Bancha | 10 mg | 15 g tea, 650 mL water at 90°C, 30 seconds |
Source: MEXT Japan, Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan 2020 (8th revised edition). The tables list matcha powder at 3.2 g of caffeine per 100 g, about 32 mg per gram.
A 2024 Japanese study found much the same: participants took in about 26 mg of caffeine from the hojicha served and 28 mg from the same amount of green tea (Kurosaka et al., 2024). For comparison, an 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee has about 95 mg (USDA FoodData Central).
Is hojicha really low in caffeine?
Not as low as its reputation. Hojicha is widely described as a low-caffeine tea, and you will often read that roasting drives off much of the caffeine. We could not find a peer-reviewed measurement showing that, and Japan's food tables list the same caffeine for brewed hojicha as for brewed sencha (MEXT Japan).
What does make a difference is how it is brewed. Hojicha is often made with a short steep, and a cup made with fewer leaves or a quicker steep will have less caffeine. It is also much lower in caffeine than coffee or a matcha latte. But it is not caffeine-free. If you need to avoid caffeine, choose an herbal tea instead; see how much caffeine is in tea?
Can you drink hojicha at night?
You can, but hojicha still contains some caffeine, so if you are sensitive to caffeine or sleep poorly, have it earlier in the day.
Many people enjoy hojicha in the evening because it tastes mellow, but it still contains caffeine. Research suggests finishing a typical cup of coffee (about 107 mg of caffeine) at least 8.8 hours before bed (Gardiner et al., 2023). A cup of hojicha has less, but if you are sensitive to caffeine or have trouble sleeping, keep it to earlier in the day or choose a caffeine-free herbal tea at night.
Hojicha benefits: what the research shows
Hojicha-specific research is limited, and most green tea studies use unroasted green tea or concentrated extracts, so their results do not automatically apply to hojicha. Here is what is known:
- It still contains tea polyphenols, but fewer catechins than unroasted green tea, because roasting breaks many of them down (Zhu et al., 2021; Kurosaka et al., 2024).
- It has less theanine than green tea (Kurosaka et al., 2024). Theanine is the amino acid linked with green tea's calm, focused feel; see what is L-theanine?
- A small study suggests a refreshing effect. In 20 healthy young men, drinking green tea or hojicha before a mental arithmetic task improved task performance and feelings of refreshment compared with hot water. The researchers think the tea's aroma played a part, since the amounts of caffeine were small (Kurosaka et al., 2024). This was a small, short study, and one author had received consulting fees from the funder.
- It is an unsweetened, nearly calorie-free drink when brewed plain (MEXT Japan), which makes it an easy swap for sugary drinks. Adding milk and sweetener to a latte changes that.
How to brew hojicha
- Measure the leaves. Japan's food tables brew hojicha with 15 g of leaves per 650 mL of water (MEXT Japan), or about 5 grams for an 8-ounce cup. Roasted leaves are bulky, so weigh them if you can.
- Use hot water. The tables use water at 90°C (194°F) (MEXT Japan), just off the boil.
- Steep briefly. The tables steep hojicha for 30 seconds (MEXT Japan). Steep a little longer if you like it stronger, and taste as you go.
- Strain and serve plain, over ice, or with milk.
For a hojicha latte, whisk hojicha powder with a little hot water until smooth, then top with steamed or cold milk, the same way you would make a matcha latte.
Who should be careful with hojicha?
For most healthy adults, the FDA says up to 400 mg of caffeine a day is not generally associated with negative effects (FDA), and a few cups of hojicha are well under that. Count it toward your daily total along with coffee, other teas and energy drinks. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a heart condition, anxiety or sleep problems, or take medication, ask your health care provider how much caffeine is right for you.
Common myths (quick reality check)
Myth: Hojicha is caffeine-free. Reality: Hojicha contains caffeine. Japan's food tables list brewed hojicha at about 20 mg per 100 mL, the same as brewed sencha.
Myth: Roasting removes most of the caffeine. Reality: This is often repeated, but we could not find research showing it. In a 2024 study, the hojicha served had almost as much caffeine as the green tea (26 mg vs 28 mg).
Myth: Hojicha comes from a different plant. Reality: Hojicha is green tea from the same tea plant. It is roasted after it is made, which changes its color and flavor.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What is hojicha?
Hojicha is a Japanese green tea made by roasting sencha or bancha leaves at about 160 to 180°C. It is brown, with a toasty, nutty flavor and little bitterness.
Does hojicha have caffeine?
Yes. Japan's food composition tables list brewed hojicha at about 20 mg of caffeine per 100 mL, the same as brewed sencha. It has much less than coffee.
Does hojicha have less caffeine than matcha?
Usually, per serving. A cup of steeped hojicha has less caffeine than a matcha drink made with 2 grams of powder, which has about 28 to 70 mg. Hojicha powder drinks have more than steeped hojicha.
Is hojicha good for you?
Plain hojicha is an unsweetened, nearly calorie-free drink that contains tea polyphenols, though fewer catechins and less theanine than unroasted green tea. Research on hojicha itself is limited.
Can I drink hojicha at night?
Hojicha still has caffeine. If you are sensitive to caffeine or have trouble sleeping, drink it earlier in the day or choose a caffeine-free herbal tea at night.
What does hojicha taste like?
Toasty and nutty, sometimes compared to toasted grain or light caramel, with less bitterness than unroasted green tea.
How do you make hojicha?
Steep about 5 grams of hojicha leaves in 8 ounces of water at about 90°C (194°F) for about 30 seconds to a minute, then strain.
Related guides
- What Is Genmaicha? Taste, Caffeine and How to Brew It
- What Is Sencha? Sencha vs Matcha, Caffeine and How to Brew It
- Hojicha latte recipe: hot, iced and with loose leaves
- What is matcha? What it's made of and matcha vs green tea
- How much caffeine is in tea?
- Does matcha have caffeine?
- What is ceremonial grade matcha?
- What is L-theanine?
- Matcha vs coffee
Disclaimer and when to seek help
This article is for general education and is not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to your health care provider about caffeine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a heart condition, anxiety or sleep problems, or take medication.
References
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan. Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan 2020 (Eighth Revised Edition). Chapter 2 data: beverages, tea infusions (hojicha 16040, sencha 16037, genmaicha 16041, bancha 16039, gyokuro 16034, oolong 16042, black tea 16044) and matcha 16035.
- Kurosaka C, Tagata C, Nakagawa S, Kobayashi M, et al. "Effects of green tea and roasted green tea on human responses." Scientific Reports, 2024;14:8588. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-59383-y
- Zhu YM, Dong JJ, Jin J, Liu JH, et al. "Roasting process shaping the chemical profile of roasted green tea and the association with aroma features." Food Chemistry, 2021;353:129428. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129428
- Meyer BR, et al. "Catechin composition, phenolic content, and antioxidant properties of commercially-available bagged, gunpowder, and matcha green teas." Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 2023;78(4):662-669. doi:10.1007/s11130-023-01121-2
- Koláčková T, et al. "The effect of in vitro digestion on matcha tea (Camellia sinensis) active components and antioxidant activity." Antioxidants, 2022;11(5):889. doi:10.3390/antiox11050889
- U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central (SR Legacy: coffee, brewed).
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?"
- Gardiner C, et al. "The effect of caffeine on subsequent sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis." Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2023;69:101764. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2023.101764
