Hojicha has long been one of Japan's most familiar everyday teas. Roasted from green tea leaves or stems, it is known for its warm, nutty, caramel-like aroma, lower caffeine profile, and easy drinkability.

But as global demand for Japanese tea expands, hojicha is no longer insulated from the pressure affecting matcha.

Ahead of Japan's new tea season, several Japanese tea retailers have introduced purchase limits or suspended sales of certain hojicha products. Ippodo Tea, one of Kyoto's best-known tea houses, has limited purchases of some roasted tea products and paused sales of larger hojicha formats, citing raw material shortages and rising demand.

Other smaller and online tea shops have also reported discontinued or sold-out hojicha products.

Why Hojicha Is Becoming Harder to Source

The pressure comes from several overlapping forces.

First, global demand for Japanese tea is expanding. Matcha has already become scarce in many premium channels, and hojicha is now gaining visibility abroad through hojicha lattes, café menus, TikTok, and Instagram.

Second, Japan's overall tea production base is shrinking. Tea-growing acreage has declined over the past two decades, while farmers face aging workforces, succession issues, extreme heat, drought, and rising production costs.

Third, matcha and hojicha compete for related raw materials. Most Japanese tea comes from the same tea plant, Camellia sinensis. Depending on cultivation, harvest timing, processing, and leaf part, it becomes matcha, gyokuro, sencha, bancha, hojicha, or genmaicha.

When matcha commands far higher prices, producers have an economic incentive to prioritize tencha and matcha-related production. That can make lower-priced categories like hojicha harder to secure.

Finally, hojicha is sensitive to cost inflation. Roasting requires energy, and packaging costs have also risen. Since hojicha has traditionally been an affordable daily tea, higher input costs can quickly pressure margins and supply.

Why Cafés Should Pay Attention

For U.S. cafés and beverage brands, hojicha is not just a secondary Japanese tea. It is becoming an important menu category.

Its roasted flavor works well with milk, oat milk, and sweetened café applications. Its lower caffeine profile also gives operators a different positioning from matcha and coffee.

But the same qualities that make hojicha attractive are now increasing demand.

For operators building Japanese tea programs, hojicha should be treated as part of a sourcing strategy, not just a backup option.

New Research on Hojicha Aroma

A separate 2025 study by Ito En examined the effects of hojicha aroma and its major aroma compounds, known as pyrazines, on healthy adults.

The study, published in Functional Foods in Health and Disease, tested hojicha aroma and three pyrazine compounds commonly associated with roasted tea aroma.

Researchers observed changes suggesting increased parasympathetic activity and reduced sympathetic activity. They also reported lower oxygenated hemoglobin levels in the prefrontal cortex, along with self-reported reductions in tension and anxiety.

Participants also reported higher scores for comfort, mood, and sleepiness after exposure to hojicha aroma.

The findings suggest that hojicha's roasted aroma may contribute to a calming sensory experience. The study identified pyrazines, especially 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine, as potentially important aroma compounds in this effect.

More research is needed, but the study adds scientific context to what many tea drinkers already associate with hojicha: warmth, softness, and relaxation.

Sources

Based on reporting from Daily Shincho and Ito En's 2025 research release on hojicha aroma, including the study "Sedative effects of roasted green tea aroma on autonomic nervous activity, central nervous activity, and subjective mood state in healthy adults," published in Functional Foods in Health and Disease.