Compare two teas
Side by side across seven dimensions. There is no verdict and no winner — the purpose is to understand the difference, not to be told which to buy.
Why these two get confused
Stem and leaf hojicha, sold under the same name. Stem hojicha is the common form in Japan and the sweeter of the two; leaf hojicha is what usually gets exported.
Point by point
| Dimension | Kuki hojicha | Hojicha |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Green tea · unoxidised | Green tea · unoxidised |
| Production | In order: Steaming (Japanese fixation) → De-stemming and de-veining → Roasting → Drying. medium roast and year round harvest. | In order: Kill-green (fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Roasting. medium roast, mature leaf and summer harvest. |
| Origin | Japan | Japan |
| Flavour | roasted, sweet and woody. light and smooth in the mouth. Aroma: toasted caramel, warm wood, roasted grain. Straightforward in character. Delicate in intensity. | roasted, nutty and sweet. light and smooth in the mouth. Aroma: toasted grain, caramel, roasted chestnut, woodsmoke. Straightforward in character. Delicate in intensity. |
| Brewing | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 90–100 °C, first steep 45s. Kyusu brewing (Japanese style): 3–5 g/100 ml at 80–90 °C, first steep 45s of 3 authored. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 3–4 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 20s of 4 authored. | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 90–100 °C, first steep 45s. Kyusu brewing (Japanese style): 3–5 g/100 ml at 80–90 °C, first steep 45s of 3 authored. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 3–4 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 20s of 4 authored. |
| Cultural context | Not recorded for this tea. | Not recorded for this tea. |
| Who may prefer it | Someone who prefers a quiet cup they can drink through an afternoon and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. | Someone who prefers a quiet cup they can drink through an afternoon and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. |
Nothing above is a recommendation. The last row describes the drinker each tea suits, using each tea’s own authored fields and the same sentence structure for both, so neither can be framed as the safe choice.