For the past few years, Matcha has spent its time firmly in the spotlight. With its distinctive green colour and earthy flavour, Matcha has moved far beyond the traditional tea bowl. It's found its way into cafés, kitchens, and on menus across the world.
Now, another Japanese green tea is beginning to attract some attention. Hojicha has a warmer roasted character and a history of its own that's separate from Matcha. Traditionally enjoyed hot in Japan, it's appearing more and more in lattes and desserts around the world. It's introducing more people to another side of Japanese tea culture.
And despite the comparisons, Hojicha doesn't necessarily need to become the next Matcha. It offers a completely different cup.
What is Hojicha?
A Japanese roasted green tea, Hojicha comes from the same tea plant as Matcha - Camellia sinensis. The difference in what happens to the leaves is where these two teas diverge.
Matcha is well known for its vibrant colour, earthy umami flavour, and grassy leaves and stems. It’s instantly recognisable. Hojicha, however, is made differently. The leaves and stems used for Hojicha are roasted at high temperatures, where Matcha leaves are steamed.
This process changes their colour, their aroma and their taste, creating that warm brown tone that makes Hojicha immediately distinguishable from other green teas.
The making process also develops a deeper flavour. Depending on the tea, you may notice nutty or smoky notes along with a subtle caramel-like sweetness which makes it popular for desserts. For anyone who has found the intensity and grassiness of Matcha a little difficult to embrace, Hojicha can be a gentler introduction to Japanese green tea.
Hojicha vs Matcha
Hojicha and Matcha may start with the same plant, but they offer two very different experiences.
Matcha is made from leaves that have been grown and processed carefully. These are eventually stone ground into a very fine powder. As we've explored in the history of Matcha, its preparation and cultivation have been refined for centuries in Japan.
Hojicha takes another pathway. The roasting process transforms the familiar qualities of green tea and gives it a toastier flavour and smell. It's also lower in caffeine, which adds to its appeal for people who are becoming more conscious of how much they consume throughout the day.
The result? You get something that sits comfortably in its own space, with roasted warmth that would feel familiar to coffee drinkers, too. Hojicha isn't trying to match Matcha, it's a tea of its own.
Why is everybody talking about Hojicha?
For a tea with such a long history in Japan, Hojicha is experiencing a distinctly modern surge in international interest. We've seen how Matcha has exploded across the scenes, but global searches for Hojicha have increased by around 55% since early 2025. Searches for Hojicha lattes have risen by more than 170%, while the conversations about Hojicha on UK social media have increased by 109% between July 2024 and July 2026.
These are numbers that suggest that curiosity is quickly moving beyond specialist tea drinkers. Matcha may have helped to open that door. Its popularity introduced a much wider audience to Japanese tea and encouraged people to explore flavours beyond the black tea and coffee they already know.
Hojicha gives them somewhere new to go.
A tea that works beyond the teacup
Hojicha has been enjoyed hot in Japan, however, the roasted flavour lends itself surprisingly well to more modern creations. Hojicha lattes, for example, can be served either hot or iced, where milk softens the roasted notes and then brings out that natural warmth. Its flavour also works really well with cream, chocolate, caramel and nuts, and this has helped Hojicha move into cakes, pastries, soft serve ice creams and other desserts.
Roasted, caramelised flavours already appear throughout the foods and drinks we enjoy, which makes Hojicha relatively easy to pair without losing the character of the tea itself. It's this versatility that could be part of the reason it's finding an audience so far beyond its traditional home.
Could Hojicha be the next Matcha?
Realistically, Hojicha does not need to take Matcha’s place.
Matcha itself is continuing to grow in popularity, while the increasing interest in Hojicha suggests that people are simply becoming more curious about the wider world of Japanese tea. Matcha brings the vivid colour and distinctive umami we're used to with a centuries-old preparation ritual. Hojicha brings warmth, roasted depth and a more mellow flavour that can be enjoyed in its traditional form or adapted into something entirely new.
There is room in the tea cupboard for both.
Find a tea for your moment
Sometimes discovering a brand new tea is simply about finding the flavour that suits the moment. Hojicha's rise is bringing another Japanese tea tradition to a wider audience. This shows just how varied a single tea plant can become in the hands of different growers and makers.
At Charmony, tea is about making space for those moments in your own way. Explore the Charmony tea range and find the blend to bring a little more intention to your next cup.
