Top Hojicha Brands: Elevate Your Roasted Tea Experience

Hojicha, a delightful roasted Japanese green tea, has captured the hearts of tea enthusiasts around the globe. Its unique flavor profile, characterized by a rich, toasty aroma and naturally sweet, nutty taste, makes it a distinct choice for tea lovers seeking something beyond traditional green teas. As its popularity continues to rise, a variety of brands have emerged, offering their own special twists on this beloved beverage. For those eager to discover the best hojicha options available, our curated list below highlights some of the top brands that excel in quality and flavor.

Illustration of hojicha

Best brands of hojicha in 2025

Ito En

Ito En, a leading Japanese beverage manufacturer, stands out as a prominent producer of hojicha, a type of roasted green tea. In 2024, Ito En held a 37% share of the ready-to-drink (RTD) green tea market in Japan, with its Oi Ocha brand being a significant contributor to this success. While hojicha's market share is lower compared to sencha, with around 3.5% of the sugar-free tea market, Ito En's sales of hojicha beverages have shown steady growth, particularly with a 5% increase in sales from the previous year.

Harney & Sons

Harney & Sons is renowned for producing high-quality Hojicha, a Japanese specialty tea made from roasted twigs from esteemed tea gardens in Uji. Founded in 1983 by John Harney, the company continues to uphold its legacy of blending and sourcing the finest teas globally. Their Hojicha is characterized by its roasted, nutty aroma and full-bodied flavor, with reduced levels of caffeine compared to black tea. The tea is available in various packaging, including a 1 lb (450g) premium loose tea bag. Harney & Sons ensures a quality guarantee with a 30-day return policy and offers free shipping on orders over $59.

Ippodo Tea Co.

Ippodo Tea Co., founded in 1717 during Japan's Edo period, is renowned for its high-quality teas, particularly its hojicha, which is made from roasted green tea leaves and stems. Ippodo's hojicha is celebrated for its exceptional roasted aroma, light-bodied flavor, and low caffeine content, making it ideal for any time of day. The company's Gokujo Hojicha, a blend of roasted tea leaves and stems, is a favorite among patrons for its soothing and refreshing qualities. To brew, use 10g of leaves (4 tablespoons) with 240ml of boiling water and steep for 30 seconds. Ippodo's commitment to quality and tradition has earned it a long-standing relationship with Japan's Imperial family.

Kikuya Seicha

Kikuya Seicha is renowned as one of the best producers of hojicha, a roasted Japanese green tea, particularly for its high-quality and traditional production methods. Since its inception, the brand has maintained a strong commitment to using only the finest tea leaves, such as those from the sencha, bancha, and kukicha varieties, which are roasted to perfection to bring out the distinctive smoky and sweet flavors. Notably, Kikuya Seicha's hojicha production involves a meticulous roasting process that ensures a uniform roast, with smaller leaves roasting faster than the larger, more mature ones. This attention to detail has contributed to the brand's popularity, especially since 2016 when new hojicha flavored products began to gain widespread acceptance. The brand's dedication to minimizing waste and utilizing every part of the tea plant aligns with traditional Japanese values, making it a favorite among tea enthusiasts.

Lupicia

Lupicia is renowned as one of the best producers of hojicha, a roasted Japanese green tea, due to its strict quality standards and traditional production methods. In Japan, where green tea accounts for over 99% of national tea production, Lupicia sources its hojicha from selected producers, ensuring high-quality and nuanced flavors. The tea is harvested from mid-April to September, with the first harvest producing the most refined and less astringent tea. Lupicia's hojicha can be re-infused 2-3 times and yields about 20 infusions for 50g, highlighting its value and versatility. The brand's attention to detail and commitment to traditional methods make its hojicha a standout in the market.

Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms

Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms is a renowned producer of high-quality Hojicha, a roasted Japanese tea known for its naturally sweet taste and pleasantly woody aroma. Established with the vision of spreading Japanese tea globally, Obubu operates as an agricultural social venture, focusing on bringing quality tea to the world, contributing to local and global communities, and revitalizing interest in tea and agriculture through education. Their Hojicha is often made from the leaves of Bancha or Kukicha, which are roasted using charcoal or sand techniques to extract almost all of the tea's caffeine, making it suitable for consumption throughout the day. The farm, led by Akihiro "Akky" Kita, has been dedicated to mastering the art of tea farming since its inception. Despite the declining trend in Japanese tea production, with the number of tea farms reducing significantly over the years, Obubu continues to thrive and innovate in the industry.

Den's Tea

Den's Tea is renowned for its high-quality Houjicha, made from roasted Bancha leaves, which are bigger and thicker than those used for Sencha. This process reduces the caffeine content to as low as 5-15mg per 100ml, making it a gentle and calming tea. Den's Tea sources its teas from the prestigious growing regions of Shizuoka prefecture, ensuring optimal freshness through immediate chilled storage in California. The roasting process, either using a spinning drum heated to 150C or ceramic sands heated to 300C, is carefully managed by their Tea Master to achieve the perfect flavor. With a focus on quality and freshness, Den's Tea offers special Shincha and other teas throughout the year.

Yamamotoyama

Yamamotoyama is renowned as one of the best producers of hojicha, a type of roasted green tea, with a rich history dating back to 1690 when the Yamamoto family established a tea shop in Central Tokyo. The company revolutionized green tea by inventing sencha, making it accessible to everyone, and later introduced gyokuro in 1835. Yamamotoyama's commitment to quality and innovation is evident in their state-of-the-art production facilities, including their SQF-accredited U.S. facility in Pomona, California. They source their tea from their own gardens in Japan and a tea garden in Brazil, ensuring high-quality and sustainably-grown products. With a strong presence in the global market, Yamamotoyama continues to delight consumers with their authentic and delicious hojicha.

Hōjicha Co.

Hojicha Co. is a pioneering brand specializing in authentic Japanese roasted green tea, originating from Kyoto and offering a diverse range of hojicha products, including five unique loose leaf teas and a versatile hojicha powder. Since 2016, the company has introduced various hojicha flavored products, catering to a global market. Hojicha Co. ensures its teas are packaged fresh from the fields of Kyoto, maintaining high quality and authenticity. The roasting process, which reduces caffeine content to as low as 0.13 grams per 100 grams, makes hojicha an ideal choice for those seeking a low-caffeine, soothing tea. With its expansion into the European Union in 2023, Hojicha Co. continues to bring the rich and distinctive flavor of Japanese roasted green tea to a wider audience.

Ocha & Co.

Oi Ocha, a flagship brand of ITO EN, is renowned for its high-quality Japanese teas, including hojicha, although it is more famously recognized for its green tea products. Since its launch in 1989, Oi Ocha has led the Japanese green tea market and has been awarded a Guinness World Record for the largest natural and healthy ready-to-drink green tea brand. While the brand is not specifically highlighted for hojicha, its commitment to using tea leaves produced by Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) certified plantations ensures a high standard of quality. Oi Ocha's products, including those made from roasted green tea leaves, are designed to bring out the best flavor and aroma. The brand's global sales have been significant, with over 90 million cases sold in 2018.