Designed from the Leaf to the Roast
There are many styles of Hojicha, but we believe that truly exceptional hojicha begins with three essential elements: the quality of the tea leaves, the choice of heat source, and the roasting method.
This Hojicha is crafted from the first spring harvest grown under natural farming in Tsuge, Nara Prefecture, without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. I worked closely with the tea producer throughout the development of this tea, refining both the selection of the raw material and the roasting process.
One of the most important qualities of an outstanding Hojicha is its long, lingering finish. With this in mind, we selected sencha made exclusively from the first flush harvest. Naturally grown without fertilizer, this sencha develops an exceptionally long-lasting aftertaste and is rich in polyphenols. These characteristics make it an ideal raw material for producing a hojicha with remarkable depth, sweetness and complexity.
Why the Heat Source Matters
The flavor of Hojicha is influenced not only by the tea leaves themselves, but also by the source of heat used during roasting. Whether the tea is roasted over firewood, charcoal, gas or electricity, the difference in the final cup is surprisingly significant.
The same principle applies to cooking. Grilling meat or eel over charcoal or a wood fire produces a very different result from cooking with gas or an electric stove. Even when food is cooked in a frying pan without direct contact with the flame, the choice of heat source noticeably affects its aroma, texture and flavor.
Tea behaves in much the same way.
Hojicha roasted over a wood fire develops a cleaner, brighter and more transparent character, with a crisp finish that is difficult to achieve using conventional gas or electric heat. This difference is not caused by the tea leaves coming into direct contact with the flame, but by the unique qualities of the heat itself.
For this reason, we chose traditional wood-fire roasting. By combining carefully selected first-flush sencha with this artisanal roasting method, we have created a Hojicha that offers exceptional clarity, a rich lingering sweetness, and a refined roasted aroma unlike conventional Hojicha.
The Influence of Firewood on Flavour
Those who use a wood-burning stove will often notice that different types of firewood produce different qualities of heat. Among them, natural hardwoods are particularly valued for their steady, gentle and long-lasting heat.
In tea roasting, the choice of fuel is equally important. Experienced tea producers have long recognized that the type of wood or charcoal used can influence the final character of the tea. For this reason, traditional charcoal used for roasting premium oolong tea is often produced from carefully selected hardwood species to achieve the desired roasting profile.
For this Hojicha, we worked closely with the tea producer to prepare naturally grown Japanese oak (Nara oak) as the sole fuel for roasting. The tea was slowly roasted over the flames of this hardwood, allowing the leaves to develop a remarkably clean and refined roasted aroma while preserving the tea's natural sweetness and lingering aftertaste.
By combining carefully selected first-flush tea leaves with traditional wood-fire roasting using Japanese oak, we have created a Hojicha with exceptional clarity, depth and elegance—offering a distinctive character that sets it apart from conventionally roasted Hojicha.
This process is closer to the slow, careful baking of confectionery, where the ingredients are gently transformed over time. In contrast, the roasting process used for Japanese hojicha is more similar to toasting bread, where intentional browning and slight charring are part of the process. The two approaches differ fundamentally in their philosophy: while hojicha traditionally emphasizes a strong roasted aroma and a pleasant bitterness, this product takes a different approach.
For this tea, the leaves are roasted for many hours while maintaining a consistent temperature throughout the process. It is an exceptionally time-consuming method that incorporates the concept of oolong tea aging into hojicha production. As a result, its design philosophy is clearly distinct from that of conventional hojicha.
Although the product is named “Light Roast” (軽焙), this does not mean that the roasting is weak or that the process is completed in a short time. Rather, it refers to a roasting style that avoids intentional charring by using a lower temperature over an extended period. This allows the tea leaves to gradually mature and transform internally, while minimizing surface scorching.
In this sense, the term “Light Roast” represents not the intensity or duration of roasting, but a refined roasting approach that focuses on gentle transformation, depth, and balance.
Appearance and Flavor Characteristics
Because this tea is not roasted with the intention of creating a charred or heavily roasted character, the leaves retain their natural green color and closely resemble sencha in appearance. At first glance, it may not even appear to be a hojicha. Instead, its appearance is closer to a gently roasted oolong tea, such as Tie Guan Yin or Dong Ding Oolong, which undergoes a low-temperature roasting process.
This tea combines the refreshing qualities of sencha with the sweet, elegant aromas often found in roasted teas, reminiscent of dried fruits and flowers. Its smooth and approachable character makes it highly versatile — it pairs beautifully with both meals and desserts, while also being easy to enjoy as an everyday tea that invites repeated drinking.
Looking ahead, we plan to further explore different roasting techniques and develop additional variations, with the aim of creating a complete series of firewood-roasted teas.
