Hojicha vs Matcha: Why This Roasted Japanese Tea Is Becoming a Big 2026 Café Trend
For years, matcha has been the colourful star of café menus and social-media feeds.
But in 2026, another Japanese tea is beginning to attract serious attention.
Meet hojicha — a roasted Japanese green tea with a warm brown colour and a smooth, nutty, toasted flavour.
From iced hojicha lattes to desserts, cafés are finding creative ways to introduce this traditional Japanese tea to new customers.
So, what exactly is hojicha, how is it different from matcha, and why is everyone suddenly talking about it?
Let's take a closer look.
What Is Hojicha?
Hojicha is a type of Japanese green tea.
Unlike many green teas, the leaves and sometimes stems used for hojicha are roasted.
This roasting process transforms the tea.
Instead of the fresh green appearance and grassy flavour many people associate with green tea, hojicha develops a brown colour and a much warmer flavour profile.
People commonly describe it as:
Toasty
Nutty
Smooth
Slightly smoky
Caramel-like
Naturally comforting
That distinctive flavour is one of the biggest reasons hojicha works so well in modern café drinks.
Hojicha vs Matcha: What's the Difference?
Although both come from Japanese tea culture, hojicha and matcha provide very different experiences.
Colour
Matcha: Bright green.
Hojicha: Light brown to reddish-brown.
This immediately makes the two drinks visually different.
Flavour
Matcha: Grassy, vegetal and sometimes slightly bitter.
Hojicha: Roasted, nutty, mellow and sometimes caramel-like.
People who find matcha too intense may prefer hojicha's softer flavour.
Preparation
Matcha is made using finely ground tea powder.
Hojicha can be prepared from roasted loose leaves or powdered hojicha, depending on the drink or recipe.
Caffeine
Hojicha is generally known as a lower-caffeine tea than matcha.
That characteristic is helping it appeal to people who want a gentler drink later in the day.
Why Is Hojicha Becoming Popular in 2026?
Several trends are working in hojicha's favour.
1. People Already Understand Matcha
Matcha helped introduce millions of consumers outside Japan to Japanese tea drinks.
Customers who now feel comfortable ordering matcha may be more willing to experiment with another Japanese tea.
Hojicha therefore doesn't have to start entirely from zero.
2. The Flavour Is Easy to Pair
Hojicha's roasted character works particularly well with flavours such as:
Caramel
Maple
Chocolate
Vanilla
Brown sugar
Banana
Nuts
Oat milk
This gives cafés plenty of room for creative seasonal drinks.
3. Lower-Caffeine Drinks Are Attractive
Not everyone wants another strong coffee at 4pm.
A lower-caffeine tea can offer another option for people who still want the ritual of visiting a café and ordering something interesting.
4. It Works Hot or Cold
Hojicha isn't limited to one season.
During colder months, a warm hojicha latte can feel cosy and comforting.
During summer, it can become an iced latte or cold tea.
That versatility gives cafés more opportunities to keep it on menus throughout the year.
5. Social Media Loves New Café Trends
Matcha became instantly recognisable partly because of its striking green appearance.
Hojicha isn't as colourful, but its warm brown shades fit beautifully with the cosy café aesthetic popular across Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok.
Add an attractive glass, milk layers and minimalist café styling, and hojicha becomes highly photogenic in a different way.
10 Hojicha Drinks and Treats to Try
Want to understand why this flavour has potential?
Here are ten ways to try it.
1. Classic Hojicha Latte
Start simple.
Combine hojicha with steamed milk for a smooth, comforting drink.
It's an excellent introduction if you've never tried hojicha before.
2. Iced Hojicha Latte
Serve hojicha over ice with milk.
The roasted flavour can remain noticeable even when the drink is chilled.
Try it during warmer weather as an alternative to iced coffee or iced matcha.
3. Hojicha Oat Latte
The natural sweetness and creaminess of oat milk can complement hojicha's toasted flavour.
This combination works particularly well if you enjoy mild, comforting drinks.
4. Maple Hojicha Latte
Maple and roasted tea are natural partners.
A small amount of maple sweetness can enhance hojicha's warm flavour without completely covering the tea.
5. Brown Sugar Hojicha
Brown sugar adds deeper caramel notes.
This is an easy way to turn a simple latte into something more indulgent.
6. Vanilla Hojicha Latte
Vanilla softens the drink even further.
It can be a good starting point for someone moving from sweet coffee drinks towards tea.
7. Hojicha Ice Cream
Hojicha isn't only for drinking.
Its roasted flavour works beautifully in creamy desserts.
Hojicha ice cream or gelato provides a combination of sweet, creamy and toasted flavours.
8. Hojicha Cheesecake
The slight bitterness and roasted character of tea can balance the richness of cheesecake.
It's also a more unusual flavour than traditional vanilla or chocolate.
9. Hojicha Cookies
Powdered hojicha can be incorporated into baked goods.
Cookies are an approachable way to experiment with the flavour at home.
10. Hojicha Tiramisu
Coffee isn't the only flavour capable of working with creamy tiramisu-style desserts.
Hojicha's roasted notes can provide an interesting alternative.
Is Hojicha Healthier Than Coffee?
It isn't useful to label one drink universally “healthier” than another.
The answer depends on the drink and the person consuming it.
A plain cup of hojicha is very different from a large hojicha latte filled with syrups and added sugar.
However, one feature attracting attention is hojicha's comparatively low caffeine content.
For people deliberately reducing caffeine, that may make it an interesting alternative.
If caffeine affects your sleep or health, individual needs can vary, so professional medical advice is more appropriate than relying on social-media wellness claims.
Is Hojicha Better Than Matcha?
Neither is automatically better.
They simply offer different experiences.
Choose Matcha If You Like:
Bright green drinks
Grassy tea flavours
A stronger green-tea character
Traditional matcha preparation
Vibrant café drinks
Choose Hojicha If You Like:
Toasted flavours
Nutty notes
Caramel-like aromas
Milder tea
Cosy drinks
Lower-caffeine options
You may enjoy both.
In fact, the popularity of hojicha doesn't necessarily mean matcha is disappearing.
It may simply mean consumers are becoming more interested in a wider range of Japanese teas.
Why Hojicha Could Be Perfect for Autumn
This is where hojicha becomes particularly interesting.
Pumpkin spice dominates many autumn menus because consumers associate warm spices with colder weather.
Hojicha creates that cosy feeling differently.
Its roasted aroma naturally works with autumn flavours such as:
Maple
Caramel
Apple
Pear
Cinnamon
Brown sugar
Chocolate
Imagine an iced maple hojicha latte in early autumn followed by a hot caramel hojicha latte as temperatures drop.
That's a lot of seasonal potential from one tea.
Can You Make Hojicha at Home?
Yes.
You can purchase loose-leaf hojicha for traditional tea or powdered hojicha for latte-style drinks.
For a simple latte, you'll generally need:
Hojicha
Hot water
Milk or plant-based alternative
Optional sweetener
If you're using hojicha powder, follow the preparation instructions provided by the product manufacturer because quantities and strength can vary.
Easy Hojicha Latte Idea
For a beginner-friendly drink:
Step 1
Prepare your hojicha according to the package instructions.
Step 2
Warm your preferred milk.
Step 3
Combine the tea and milk.
Step 4
Taste before adding sweetener.
Step 5
If desired, add a small amount of maple syrup, honey or another preferred sweetener.
For an iced version, allow the tea to cool appropriately and serve with ice and cold milk.
Hojicha Isn't Actually New
The social-media trend may be new to many Western consumers.
The tea itself certainly isn't.
Hojicha comes from established Japanese tea culture.
That's worth remembering whenever traditional foods suddenly become fashionable online.
Something being new to your local café doesn't mean it's new to the culture that created it.
Could Hojicha Replace Matcha?
Probably the more interesting question is whether it needs to.
Matcha continues to have a huge global following.
Hojicha can grow alongside it.
The success of matcha may actually make that easier because consumers already understand the idea of Japanese tea lattes.
Rather than thinking:
Hojicha vs Matcha
perhaps think:
Hojicha + Matcha.
One is fresh and grassy.
The other is roasted and comforting.
There's room for both.
Hojicha FAQs
What does hojicha taste like?
Hojicha generally has a roasted, nutty and mellow flavour with slightly smoky or caramel-like notes.
Is hojicha green tea?
Yes.
Hojicha is Japanese green tea, but roasting changes its colour, aroma and flavour.
Does hojicha contain caffeine?
Yes, hojicha can contain caffeine, although it is generally considered lower in caffeine than matcha and many coffee drinks.
Can you make a hojicha latte?
Yes.
Hojicha lattes can be made hot or iced and paired with dairy or plant-based milk.
Is hojicha bitter?
It generally has a milder, less grassy flavour than matcha, although preparation and product quality can affect the final taste.
Is hojicha becoming popular in the USA and UK?
Hojicha is increasingly appearing in speciality cafés, food publications and trend reports in both markets.
Its café presence is still much smaller than matcha's, but interest is growing.
Final Thoughts
Matcha isn't disappearing.
But hojicha could become one of 2026's most interesting café trends.
Its warm toasted flavour feels familiar enough for coffee drinkers while remaining distinctly different from coffee.
Its Japanese origins connect it to a tea culture that consumers are increasingly interested in exploring.
And its versatility means it can move from hot lattes to iced drinks, cakes, ice cream and other desserts.
If you've already tried matcha and want something different, hojicha could be the drink to put on your autumn 2026 list.
Brown might just be giving green some friendly competition.
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