Shop our Kuki Hojicha

Kuki hojicha is a roasted green tea made by roasting the stems of the tea plant in a large hot pan. The stems and leaves of the tea plant roast differently, and the hojicha takes on a much darker flavor compared to a typical hojicha. With the kuki hojicha, you will notice stronger roasted flavors of black coffee and dark chocolate.

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What is Kuki Hojicha?

Kuki hojicha is a roasted stem tea from Japan. The kuki hojicha from Mr. Hojicha goes through a heavy roasting process, in the same pan used to make Kamairicha tea. This is done at a higher heat for a longer time to produce a dark roasted kuki hojicha with tasting notes of black coffee.

kuki hojicha in a cup

Our Kuki Hojicha is exclusively sourced from small farmers in Japan

After traveling around Japan for the past few years, we’ve had the privilege to meet with dozens of talented farmers and sample hundreds of different types of green tea. When we first discovered the kuki hojicha, we were really impressed by how strong and dark the flavor could become, almost like coffee. We sat down with Mr. Issin and his family in the home he grew up in as he poured us each a cup of his famous kuki hojicha. As soon as we tasted it we fell in love with the tea and new we had to share it with all of you. We are proud to offer this kuki hojicha to tea lovers all around the world, and even more proud to work with incredible tea farmers like Mr. Issin.

Our Kuki Hojcha is 100% organically grown and pesticide free

We make sure to source our kuki hojicha from a farmer who does not use chemicals or pesticides on his fields. Mr. Issin has spent his entire life on this land, and he wouldn’t dream of putting pesticides on it. Instead, he has worked hard to craft a few different organic fertilizers that are organic and non-gmo. He is able to use this to grow strong, healthy tea plants without harming the natural ecosystem of this beautiful corner of Japan.

kuki hojicha tea leafs

Kuki Hojicha flavor profile

Compared to other hojichas, a dark roasted kuki hojicha will go much further into the direction of coffee. The dark brown color and heavy roasted flavors will remind you of a strong cup of black coffee, but the tea is actually very low in caffeine. It can be a nice way to unwind after a long day, especially if you have been outside during the colder months. This tea is a great way to warm up in the winter, but it also works surprisingly well as a cold brew!

Kuki Hojicha production

Up in the mountains of Takachiho, Mr. Issin and his family are hard at work crafting beautiful pan-fired green teas like the kuki hojicha and the kamairicha Issin. He roasts both of these teas in the same pan, but used different methods. To get a much darker roast on the kuki hojicha, he will close the metal lid of the roasting pan, to trap in the heat and raise the temperature. He will then allow this tea to roast for a longer time to produce the dark roasted kuki hojicha we know and love!

Kuki Hojicha brewing instruction

With the kuki hojicha, you can really use a higher water temperature. The reason we use lower temperature water for Japanese green tea is to avoid extracting the bitter catechins from the leaves. The stems contain less of these catechins, and during the roasting process, the catechins are reduced even further. As a result, when you are brewing kuki hojicha, you can really use a water temperature of about 170-180 degrees Fahrenheit.

  • Step 1

     Add 5 grams of kuki hojicha to the kyusu teapot

  • Step 2

     Pour in 150ml of 180 degree water

  • Step 3

    Let the kuki hojicha sit undisturbed for 1 minute

  • Step 4

    Pour out the kuk hojicha and allow the stems to be automatically sifted out by the built in filter

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Frequently Asked questions

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Delivery

We currently offer free delivery options for everyone around the world. For certain orders, we also provide free express shipping, which usually arrives in just a couple of days. If your order is time sensitive, make sure you have one of the faster delivery options selected at checkout.

Teas and Teaware

Have questions about any of our products? You can either ask our customer service team, or refer to the hundreds of videos we have on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok for more information.

Order issues

While things usually are sent out quickly and efficiently from our E.U and U.S distribution centers, there are some delays due to customs, holiday traffic and weather. We can provide you with tracking information when you order so you’ll know where your tea is at all times!

Payments

We currently accept payment by major credit card, paypal, apple pay and bank transfer. If you have any questions about your preferred payment method, please be sure to reach out to us and we can figure something out to accommodate you!

Returns & Refunds

While returns are very rare at Nio, they occasionally do occur. We want everyone to be satisfied with the tea they get, so we would prefer to offer a replacement tea rather than leave someone with a tea they don’t like. Please be sure to reach out to us and we can solve whatever issues you might have with the tea you ordered.

Kuki Hojicha & Hojicha Education Center

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