Hojicha has gone from a sleepy corner of the Japanese tea market to one of its fastest-growing categories — thanks, in part, to the hojicha latte. But most "hojicha" in Western cafés is dusty powdered offcuts. The leaf-brewed cup from a serious roaster is a different drink: caramel-sweet, clean, and nearly caffeine-free.
This list is ordered from everyday picks to specials. Every one ships internationally.
1. Ito En — Genmaicha
Best classic genmaicha. Ito En's is the genmaicha most people have had without knowing it — the standard supermarket bag, reliable and easy to find outside Japan. Toasty rice, light green tea, nothing to learn. It is the reference point the other two are measured against.
2. Ippodo — Kukicha Genmaicha
Best Kyoto genmaicha. Ippodo's version uses kukicha — stem tea — instead of leaf, which makes it softer and nuttier, with less of the grassy edge. It is the genmaicha to serve to someone who finds the classic version a little thin.
3. Yamamotoyama — Matcha-iri Genmaicha
Best matcha-iri (with added matcha). Matcha-iri genmaicha has powdered matcha dusted through it. The cup comes out bright green and richer, and it is the easiest possible first Japanese tea. Yamamotoyama's is widely available. If you are buying for a household that has never had loose-leaf, this is the safe pick.
How to brew genmaicha
Hotter than sencha — 85–90 °C, about a minute — because the roasted rice wants heat and the tea underneath is usually bancha, which does not go bitter. The genmaicha page explains the caffeine question (low) and the matcha-iri variant in more detail.
An easy first Japanese tea
Genmaicha is where most people start. Ito En's bag, 90 °C, one minute. Then try the Kyoto one.
Read our genmaicha guide →