Omotenashi Hōjicha

Hōjicha, also known as « common tea », is among the classics of Japan. It is either made of bancha, sencha or kukicha leaves. Distinctive to most Japanese green tea, the tea leaves are slow roasted in a porcelain pot over charcoal, instead of the usual steaming Japanese process. Because the leaves are fired to a high temperature, their color will alter from green to reddish brown. Because this process makes the leaves loose their catechins, it will also reduce the astringency of the taste. The roasting process used to make Hōjicha also lowers the amount of caffeine in the tea. For that reason, it is considered an « everyday tea », usually served after the evening meal, before going to sleep, and popular for children or people sensitive to caffeine.  During our trip to Japan in May 2018, we had the chance to stay in a traditional ryokan and onsen where we deeply understood the sense of the word « Omotenashi », or Japanese hospitality. We were being served Hōjicha in a lovely kyusu every