Hojicha is a green tea from Japan that is rendered brown by roasting Bancha (a summer crop tea, harvested after Sencha) tea leaves. The roasted flavours are extracted and dominate tea, replacing the vegetable tones usually found in green tea. A wonderful after meal treat, with a toasty nutty flavor with an earthy and warm quality that is surprisingly similar to coffee. The roasting process used to make Hojicha also lowers the amount of caffeine present in the tea. Beautiful with cooked Japanese dishes, it can also accompany a Sunday roast.