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Hojicha
Roasted Hojicha green tea with a full bodied character and cinnamon-like toast notes. A unique Japanese tea character that many tea drinkers love. The roasting process lowers Hojicha's caffeine content, so if you are looking for a low-caffeine green tea, this is a wonderful alternative to our decaffeinated choices.
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Country of Origin: Japan
Region: Shizuoka Prefecture
The city of Uji, the namesake of this wonderfully light Hojicha tea, is one of Japan's most ancient places. The city is home to the Byodoin, recognized by UNESCO as the world's oldest wooden structure. It was built in 1053 and amazingly, still stands. The region has been home to tea gardens and tea pluckers for centuries and is to this day recognized as one of foremost Japanese green tea growing regions. Tagami Kikusha, a Japanese Poet living during those ancient times wrote about life in the area while living in another of Uji's famous buildings, the Manpuku Temple:
One step outside
The temple gate, is Japan -
a tea-picker's song.
Translated into English, the poem is a little cryptic. In Japanese, the short poem captures the warm feelings of joy felt by the pickers as they worked in the tea gardens - tea was considered a sacred and divine gift by the ancient Japanese.
One of the teas that helped make the region famous is Hojicha. Hojicha, a specially roasted green tea, may seem exotic to Westerners but in Japan it is one of country's most commonly enjoyed beverages. Owing to its low caffeine content - the roasting process removes much of the caffeine - Houjicha is often served to accompany meals; it is also commonly served to children, and patients in hospitals.
Hojicha is produced using a Bancha leaf known in Japanese as Sanbancha. Our offering of Hojicha here is plucked exclusively at Yamarokusangyou, on of Uji's top gardens. The plucked leaves are produced in a style similar to that of Sencha - the leaves are steamed and dried. Next the dried leaf is roasted over a low heat - the low roasting temperature imparts a sweet taste and nice fresh aroma. (Hojicha that has been roasted at too high a temperature loses much of its sweetness.) This roasting process results in a Japanese tea with a reddish color and light cup with a very unique flavor. Try pairing our Hojicha with Asian themed meals and notice how well it cleanses the palate. Hojicha is truly a refreshing Japanese tea that is as good hot as it is poured over ice. Hojicha. Is it good? Hai!
Brewing Tips - Hot Tea: When preparing by the cup, Hojicha tea can be used repeatedly - about 3 times. The secret is to use water that is about 180°F or 90°C. Place about 1-1 1/2 teaspoons in your cup, let the tea steep for about 3 minutes and then begin enjoying a cup of enchantment - do not remove the leaves from the cup. Once the water level is low - add more water, and so on and so on - until the flavor of the green tea is exhausted.
Brewing Tips - Cold Tea: Place 6 teaspoons of Hojicha tea into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the leaves. Add ice and top up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste.
Region: Shizuoka Prefecture
Hojicha
The city of Uji, the namesake of this wonderfully light Hojicha tea, is one of Japan's most ancient places. The city is home to the Byodoin, recognized by UNESCO as the world's oldest wooden structure. It was built in 1053 and amazingly, still stands. The region has been home to tea gardens and tea pluckers for centuries and is to this day recognized as one of foremost Japanese green tea growing regions. Tagami Kikusha, a Japanese Poet living during those ancient times wrote about life in the area while living in another of Uji's famous buildings, the Manpuku Temple:
One step outside
The temple gate, is Japan -
a tea-picker's song.
Translated into English, the poem is a little cryptic. In Japanese, the short poem captures the warm feelings of joy felt by the pickers as they worked in the tea gardens - tea was considered a sacred and divine gift by the ancient Japanese.
One of the teas that helped make the region famous is Hojicha. Hojicha, a specially roasted green tea, may seem exotic to Westerners but in Japan it is one of country's most commonly enjoyed beverages. Owing to its low caffeine content - the roasting process removes much of the caffeine - Houjicha is often served to accompany meals; it is also commonly served to children, and patients in hospitals.
Hojicha is produced using a Bancha leaf known in Japanese as Sanbancha. Our offering of Hojicha here is plucked exclusively at Yamarokusangyou, on of Uji's top gardens. The plucked leaves are produced in a style similar to that of Sencha - the leaves are steamed and dried. Next the dried leaf is roasted over a low heat - the low roasting temperature imparts a sweet taste and nice fresh aroma. (Hojicha that has been roasted at too high a temperature loses much of its sweetness.) This roasting process results in a Japanese tea with a reddish color and light cup with a very unique flavor. Try pairing our Hojicha with Asian themed meals and notice how well it cleanses the palate. Hojicha is truly a refreshing Japanese tea that is as good hot as it is poured over ice. Hojicha. Is it good? Hai!
Brewing Tips - Hot Tea: When preparing by the cup, Hojicha tea can be used repeatedly - about 3 times. The secret is to use water that is about 180°F or 90°C. Place about 1-1 1/2 teaspoons in your cup, let the tea steep for about 3 minutes and then begin enjoying a cup of enchantment - do not remove the leaves from the cup. Once the water level is low - add more water, and so on and so on - until the flavor of the green tea is exhausted.
Brewing Tips - Cold Tea: Place 6 teaspoons of Hojicha tea into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the leaves. Add ice and top up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste.