Hojicha Latte: The Evening Alternative

Roasted, toasty and lower in caffeine than matcha — hojicha is the latte for after dinner.

Hojicha's roast gives it a cocoa-adjacent warmth that works with milk the way matcha does, but with a fraction of the caffeine per cup, which is why English-language media increasingly present it as 'the next matcha' for evenings. Whisk or steep 3-4 g of hojicha powder (or a strong brew of loose hojicha) with a splash of hot water, then add 180 ml of milk. Loose-leaf hojicha also makes an excellent clear iced tea.

Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) crop statistics; Ministry of Finance trade statistics; Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); prefectural and municipal official information. Checked 5 November 2026.