Green tea from Japan that is rendered brown by roasting Bancha (a summer crop tea, harvested after Sencha) tea leaves. An Adagio customer favorite, with a toasty nutty flavor and slightly mesquite note. Earthy and warm quality, soothing finish.
Customers use these reviews to describe their experience with Hojicha, including flavor, aroma, preparation preferences, strength, and how the tea fits into daily routines. Browse the full review history page by page to compare tasting notes, steeping tips, and favorite ways to enjoy this tea.
I was hooked on hojicha after visiting Seattle and having the privilege to try it. So I ordered a sample of Adagio's, and lo, it was even BETTER than what I had! I will be ordering lots and lots of this. Perfectly smoky and deep without being too strong. Probably not for the faint of heart, though. Mmmmmmmm.
was a very nice mellow green tea, I was surprised I liked it
After one cup, I would have to give it 3.5 stars. I got a bit of the grassy flavor, but I also found it had a fishy taste. It's kind of like a really light version of the Sencha Overture, though definitely not as savory as that tea. There's a possibility that it'll grow on me and the rating would go up to 4 stars.
I tried this tea as part of the Samurai sampler, and it was in my top two (kukicha beat it out for first place), but I liked it nearly as much so that when I went to order tea next, I bought both types to keep in my stock at work and at home. This tea has a beautiful color to it and a toasty flavor that is oh so comforting if you're looking for a nice break at the office or want to curl up at home. Very yummy.
This tea is my favorite! It's particularly great for days that I call 'cardigan weather' but it's good any time. It smells like fresh-cut grass, if that'll convince you.
My least favorite green. Tastes a little burnt to me.
This tea has a very woodshed taste, which fits with its appearance, as it looks a bit like twigs. I'd recommend it to those who don't like grassy teas
This is a very earthy tea. Not my favorite but tried it because I wanted to try something different.
Delicious! Nice and toasty, a good pick me up on a cold day. Careful with brew times!
The toasted flavor is very relaxing. I like this tea very much.
ehhhhhh...not a fan. I see how people like the roasty toasty flavor..but it's not my (ahem) cup of tea.
perfect green tea that i found here want to buy again.
After having hojicha bubble tea I became a fan of roasted green tea and this is just a fabulous blend ^^
smooth tea with hints of fruit great value for your money. drink it every day
Has a nutty, and kind of a chocolate kind of smell. Has a nice nutty and smoky taste
dependable. toasty and pleasant, but not complex.
This one's smoky, like gunpowder, but with less tendency to get bitter if oversteeped.
My first time trying this and very excited about that. It's a great tasting tea that is going to become a re-order favorite.
I was hesitant to purchase this tea, but it ended up being quite good. It has a unique 'nutty' flavor that takes a bit getting used to.
This tea is good made two cups from one tea bag. they both were strong. I like the strong aroma and taste. Also relaxing element.
This is fabulous tea! Warm and toasty and very comforting. Love the fragrance too.
A smooth toasty tea with a mild smoke and delicious nuttiness without losing all of it's green tea goodness. Stands up quite well to multiple infusions. Best used with a fine mesh strainer or teapot if you don't enjoy leaf in your cup.
I'd gotten a hojicha looseleaf tea from a different company. This is a pretty solid alternative and reasonably priced. Good for everyday drinking during work.
This reminds me of sungyung (scorched rice tea) in both aroma and flavor. Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of sungyung or this tea. I think it is the bold, toasted flavor that reminds me of almost-burnt-beyond-edible food. If you like sungyung though you'll probably love this tea.
I have tried different varieties of green tea, but this was like no other. The smell was a bit fishy and the flavor was that of sea water. It is definitely different and may take some getting used to, but the off-putting aroma and flavor does not make me want to try.
This tea is nice and toasty! It almost tastes like an oolong and stayed strong through 3 steeps. It has a very pleasant taste, not at all bitter or grassy. It has a taste similar to chinese green teas instead of japanese greens. I am so happy that I tried it, and I look forward to ordering more of this fine tea.
This is a unique green tea. I highly recommend it to people looking for a green tea that isn't super green/grassy tasting.
I am always looking for a new hojicha that will be my 'everyday hojicha' rather than my really expense one that is for special occasions, so far I have been disappointed. This one is perfect! Really bold toasted, almost smoky aroma and flavor with a subtle sweetness. Delicious, I have found my new perfect hojicha!
I wasn't all that impressed with this tea. It tastes kinda grassy or what bamboo looks like it would taste like.
This tea was nice in small quantities, but I didn't like the green smokiness. It wasn't bad, but the bitter is a bit much. I think I was expecting something a bit closer to lapsang souchong.
I think this tea is great if you usually enjoy black tea, but want to give green teas a shot. I am a big fan.
Hojicha is an okay green tea. If you like a nutty aroma when you drink your tea this would be perfect. At first I regretted getting this tea but it has really grown on me, not a favorite but I will probably get it every once in a whle
This is a really nutty and earthy green tea. I got 8 ounces because I wanted a decent everyday green tea to try and this was different. I like it - its smooth and nice in colder weather. I'd probably order in smaller quantities next time as I prefer other green teas over this.
A very enjoyable tea provided you know what you're getting yourself into. As is the case with a couple of the other Japanese greens I've purchased here, it has a really nice vegetable-like taste with some added nuttiness. Thoroughly satisfying if that sort of flavor appeals to you.
This tea is one of my absolute favorite green teas. It has more of a nutty, earthy flavor than the usual grassy greens. Hojicha reminds me quite a bit of genmaicha, so if you like that, you will probably enjoy this tea.
Light and toasty with a clean finish- if you're a fan of genmaicha you will probably gulp up hojicha like I do! Mmm...nice to have a tea that is more on the savory side without being too heavy.
Got this as a free sample based on other teas I've ordered. has a savory/nutty taste similar to Genmaicha but retains its flavor for more repeated uses - I might actually order this next time instead of Genmaicha.
I really haven't found a tea on this site I didn't enjoy. This one though didn't exactly knock my socks off.
I first tried hojicha in a Tea Garden and I loved it. It had this delicious slightly nutty and toasty taste that was not overwhelming. I enjoyed the savory notes that were different from my usually sweeter teas. It felt perfect for foggy or cloudy afternoons in the mountains. The hojicha I purchased from Adagio, however, did not live up to what I previously had. This smelt and tasted more like seaweed than the smooth toast nutty taste that hojicha is known for. The flavor is quite strong too. I have grown accustomed to the taste now and can appreciate it more for its own (after a put a bit of sugar to sweeten it up a great deal) but not for hojicha. I do seem to crave sushi after drinking this still. If you really want this tea, I recommend getting a sample of it before committing to a larger purchase.
New to green tea, not so sure this is where i should have started with this one.
I got this for my husband. He was ok with it, but doesn't consider it a favorite.
Very Earthy smell and taste, yet a clean and refreshing taste.
Lovely nutty, green tea flavor. Perfect as an afternoon treat.
I absolutely love this tea. It's got that toasty flavor similar to what you get from the rice in genmaicha, but with less of a chance that over brewing will screw up the flavor. I find myself especially craving it in the mornings. It's a good tea to start your day.
I'm also a fan of Lapsang Souchong, and originally tried this to see how a green tea would compare. It's different in a not quite so smoky way, still quite enjoyable, and a nice change of pace from my usual gunpowder.
I just received a small free sample of this with my last order, and it ended up being a pleasant surprise. Not the best tea I've had, but it had a nice earthy flavor and aroma so I may reorder. It almost reminded me of an oolong.
Hojicha has a great roasted flavor while maintaining the integrity of the green tea. It has a sweet nuttiness that makes it very drinkable.
A delicious roasted/nutty flavor and the tea was a very pretty golden brown color.
This is a very nice and earthy green tea. Slightly astringent.
I already love hojicha, and I think this is the best one I've ever gotten.