Hojicha vs Matcha: What's the difference?

Here is the cleaned version:

Matcha and hojicha both come from Japan. Both are powdered. Both are having a serious moment in India right now. But they are not the same drink, and once you understand the difference you will know exactly which one belongs in your routine.

They start from the same plant

Both come from Camellia sinensis, the same plant that gives us all tea. The difference is entirely in what happens after harvest.

Matcha

Matcha is made from shade-grown tea leaves called tencha. Before harvest the plants are covered for several weeks, which boosts chlorophyll and amino acids, giving matcha its deep colour and characteristic umami depth. The leaves are steamed, dried, and milled into a fine powder. Nothing is roasted. The flavour is smooth, slightly sweet, and vegetal.

Our matcha is sourced from the Yabukita cultivar in Chiran, Kagoshima, shade-grown and imported in small batches directly under our own license.

Hojicha

Hojicha starts as green tea but then goes through high-heat roasting, and that changes everything. The chlorophyll breaks down, the colour turns amber-brown, and the flavour shifts completely. Roasted cacao, warm nuttiness, zero grassiness. Caffeine drops significantly during roasting, making hojicha naturally low in caffeine.

Our hojicha uses the Saemidori cultivar from Uji, Kyoto, roasted to bring out deep cacao and nutty notes.

Which one should you try?

They are different enough that most people end up keeping one of each. Try matcha if you want clean energy and focus. Try hojicha if you want something warm, comforting, and easy on caffeine. Or try both.