Hojicha vs. matcha: What's the difference?

If matcha’s bright green color and earthy flavor have become familiar, you may have also come across its roasted cousin, hojicha.

Hojicha and matcha may look and taste very different, but they actually come from the same tea plant. The key difference lies in how their leaves are grown and processed—and in hojicha’s case, roasted.

So what exactly makes hojicha different from matcha? From their color and flavor to their caffeine content, here's what to know about the two Japanese teas.

Same tea plant, different processing

Rhai Gallardo, founder of The Matcha Co. Philippines, detailed how the tea leaves are processed with GMA News Online.

“Matcha is traditionally made from tencha. The tea plants are shaded before harvest, then the leaves are steamed, dried, and refined. The stems and veins are removed before the leaves are finely milled into powder. When you drink matcha, you are consuming the tea leaf itself,” Gallardo said.

Hojicha, meanwhile, is green tea that has been roasted. It can be made from bancha, sencha, or kukicha, which contains more stems and stalks.

Unlike matcha, hojicha can be prepared by steeping the leaves in water. It can also be milled into a powder, which is commonly used for hojicha lattes.

Additionally, according to a 2025 journal by University of Shizuoka experts, matcha is made from tea leaves that are shaded before harvest, a process that affects their levels of amino acids and catechins. Hojicha, meanwhile, is made by roasting green tea leaves over high heat, which changes their color, aroma, and chemical composition.

The roasting process can reduce some heat-sensitive compounds, contributing to hojicha's milder and less astringent taste compared with unroasted green tea.

How do hojicha and matcha taste?

Depending on the tea and roast level, hojicha can have notes of roasted nuts, caramel, cocoa, toasted grain, or even a little smokiness.

Gallardo said a medium roast is usually lighter and sweeter, while a dark roast has a deeper, nuttier, and more caramelized flavor.

Matcha, meanwhile, is not roasted, giving it a fresher and more vegetal taste. It is known for its umami flavor and can also have some astringency.

Gallardo said good-quality matcha can also have creamy, naturally sweet, savory, nutty, floral, or gently vegetal notes, depending on the cultivar and origin.

“Matcha feels brighter and more layered, while hojicha feels warmer and more comforting,” she said.

Why is hojicha brown while matcha is green?

The most noticeable difference between the two teas is their color.

Matcha gets its bright green color mainly from chlorophyll. The shading process encourages the development of chlorophyll in the leaves. Steaming also helps preserve the leaves’ green color.

Hojicha, on the other hand, gets its golden-brown to reddish-brown color from roasting. The high heat changes the tea's green pigments and browns the leaves.

Gallardo compared the process to what happens when nuts or coffee beans are roasted.

However, she said color should not be the only basis for judging a tea’s quality.

“Freshness, aroma, texture, origin, and most importantly, how it tastes, all matter,” she said.

Does hojicha have less caffeine than matcha?

Generally, yes, but the difference is not only because hojicha is roasted.

Gallardo explained that many types of hojicha are made with more mature leaves, stems, and stalks, which tend to contain less caffeine than younger tea leaves.

Preparation also matters.

Traditional hojicha is steeped and the leaves are removed, while matcha is consumed as a powder, meaning the entire tea leaf is consumed.

The actual caffeine content can still vary depending on the type of tea, serving size, and preparation. A concentrated powdered hojicha drink, for example, may contain more caffeine than a lightly steeped cup.

Hojicha is therefore generally a lower-caffeine option, but it is not caffeine-free.

According to a 2024 analysis by Chie Kurosaka, Chika Tagata, Sae Nakagawa, Makoto Kobayashi, and Shinji Miyake, a serving of roasted green tea contained 26 mg of caffeine, compared with 28 mg in standard green tea.

The type and maturity of the leaves used can also affect caffeine levels. Bancha, one of the teas commonly used to make hojicha, is made from leaves harvested later in the season and generally contains less caffeine and catechins than tea made from younger leaves.

Who might prefer hojicha over matcha?

For people who are sensitive to caffeine or prefer tea later in the day, hojicha may be a more suitable option because it generally contains less caffeine.

Since it is not completely caffeine-free, those who are particularly sensitive should still consider the serving size and preparation method, especially for concentrated or powdered hojicha drinks.

Gallardo said people who enjoy fresh, vegetal, and umami-rich flavors may naturally gravitate toward matcha, while those who like coffee, chocolate, caramel, or roasted flavors may prefer hojicha.

Hojicha also pairs well with milk and desserts, making it a popular choice for lattes.

There are different hojicha profiles to explore, too. A medium roast may appeal to those who prefer a lighter and sweeter drink, while a dark-roast kuki hojicha may suit people who enjoy deeper, nuttier, coffee-like, or caramelized flavors.

Ultimately, hojicha and matcha offer different tea experiences.

Matcha is bright, vegetal, and umami-rich, while hojicha is roasted, mellow, and warm. Neither is automatically better than the other; the choice largely depends on the flavor, caffeine level, and type of drink a person prefers. —JCB, GMA News