Hojicha Zairai | ほうじ茶 在来

Earthy. Vibrant. Lingering sweetness.

Our signature hojicha — and the one we always pour at our tasting events. It’s the tea that makes people stop and say, “this is the best hojicha I’ve ever had.”

This tea is made from Zairai (在来) — native tea plants that differ from modern cultivars bred and propagated by humans for uniformity. Unlike those clones, Zairai bushes grow naturally over many years, adapting to their land. With deep roots, they absorb minerals and nutrients from the soil, fully expressing the local terroir.

Organic farming is practiced with a focus on enriching the soil with minerals to nourish the plants from within. Rather than simply following the conventional theory of harvesting earlier, softer leaves, the farmer carefully determines the timing based on when each tea bush reaches its peak vibrancy.

This hojicha is roasted using sand roasting — a traditional method where tea leaves pass through a kiln together with heated ceramic sand. The far-infrared heat from the sand roasts the leaves evenly and quickly from the inside out, producing a clean roast with less bitterness than direct-fire methods and more natural sweetness. Very few producers still use this method today — the machines are old and increasingly rare, and there’s a real risk that once they break down, this way of roasting may not be easily continued.

The result is a tea that first offers woody depth and layered warmth — with a deep, earthy note and a slightly creamy mouthfeel. Natural umami and soft sweetness unfold at the core of the flavour, gently echoing at the back of your tongue. This is a tea that lets you feel the vitality and quiet energy of nature.

You can cold brew any hojicha, but this Zairai takes to it especially well. It’s one of our most trusted flavours — the one we always come back to.

Also available in powder form.