The Houjicha listed below are Rishouen house blends containing green tea leaves and stems  grown in the Kyoto prefecture and sand roasted according to traditional artisan methods dating back from the Japanese Edo period.
The harvest time for these leaves and stems is late spring for the highest grades, and just after the spring harvest – bancha- for the most affordable grades. The higher the grade, the lighter the roasting.

As a result of the expert blending by our tea master, the Rishouen Houjicha reveal three essential characteristics: inviting aroma, clarity, and strength of taste. They will pair well with meals of any kind and enhance the enjoyment of sweets and savory snacks with their wild, nutty and attractive flavors. Easy to infuse, these are wonderful daily teas that anyone can savor at any time, warmed or cooled.

MUJOU BETSUGI KARIGANE HOUJICHA 
(Special Choice First Class Karigane Houjicha)
100g / 1,000 yen
A very mellow tint, paired with an aroma of perfect refinement. This tea resulting from decades of blending experience is assembled by our tea master to produce a most elegant Houjicha of unrivaled quality in terms of fragrance and flavor .
The blend is composed of first flush Sencha leaves and stems – or Karigane as we say in the Kyoto region – grown in full sunlight in Wazuka, Harayama and Dosenbo in the Kyoto prefecture. The meticulous selection and blending, added to a very light roasting allows the leaves to reveal a supple golden/ amber liquor with delicate flavors that strike the perfect balance without being too faint.  Simply put, this is an exquisite tea. (For instructions about infusing Houjicha, please click here.)

MUJOU HOUJICHA
(First class Houjicha)
100g / 750 yen
This elegant Houjicha reveals sharp and pure, full-bodied flavors that will make a fine addition to a delicate meal. The blend is composed of fragrant, lightly roasted spring harvest Aracha (semi refined) Sencha leaves and stems grown in full sunlight in the Kyoto prefecture.

TOKUJOU HOUJICHA
(Extra Fine Houjicha)
200g / 1,000 yen
Wild, yet comforting fragrance. Clear amber liquor. Deep and sharp, bold nutty flavor.
The Tokujou Houjicha is one of our best sellers. It is a good quality Uji tea we think of when we want to offer tea to our friends and family. This tea is also commonly served at high ranking restaurants throughout Japan.
This tea is assembled from spring harvest Aracha Sencha (semi refined leaves) grown in full sunlight in the Kyoto prefecture. The blend includes a large ratio of stems resulting in a strong presence in regards to both fragrance and aroma.

HOUJICHA
200g / 670 yen
Fragrant and full bodied daily tea.
This tea is easily accessible to beginner and expert palates alike. If you are unsure of your taste for Houjicha, this is a great place to start. This rank simply labelled ‘Houjicha’ serves as a point of reference, as it indicates what can be expected from the higher grades blended by our tea master.
This blend is popular with our partners in the hospitality sector in Japan (restaurants). It is composed of Kari Naoshi Bancha harvested after the first harvest of the year in the Kyoto prefecture.
During the first harvest in spring, the tea bushes are cut once as part of the harvest process.
After the first harvest, the tea bushes go through a second trimming made by the producers to allow the trees to rejuvenate after giving a lot of energy to sprout new leaves in spring.
The leaves harvested during this second trimming are referred to as ‘Kari Naoshi Bancha’.
‘Kari’ is the Japanese term for the cut done when trimming, while naoshi refers to a ‘redo’, as the trees go through a first cut when the spring leaves are harvested. Bancha refers to leaves harvested outside of the main harvest periods.

HOUJICHA POWDER
100 g / 700 yen
Our Hojicha powder results from the careful roasting and   pulverization of high quality Sencha green tea leaves grown in the Kyoto region and chosen for their perfect balance of strength and subtlety.
Before pulverization, the leaves are sand roasted according to traditional Hojicha manufacturing methods so that they can obtain their signature amber color, nutty, caramel flavor as well as their enchanting toasty aroma.
The pulverization of the roasted leaves in an airflow machine allows for the production of a finely ground powder -Granularity: 10μm – emphasizing the flavors, color, and aroma of Hojicha Japanese green tea, which will not fade after baking and will pair perfectly with dairy products for the preparation of deeply flavorful beverages (Hojicha lattes, tapioca drinks,…) and sweets (cakes, chocolate, ice creams, riz au lait, waffles, pancakes, creams,…)
For tips and ideas about how to use Houjicha Powder, please click here.

Extra Houjicha
200g / 850 yen
Our Extra Houjicha is a blend of first flush stems and Bancha leaves produced pesticide-free during harvesting period in the Kyoto region and sand roasted carefully according to artisanal production methods dating from the Edo period.
The stems, once roasted, develop a warm, strong and inviting nutty aroma. The clear, supple, amber brew reveals caramel like, toasted bread notes which will enhance the flavors of any meal and can be enjoyed hot or cold, at any time of the day due to its low levels in caffeine.

IRIBANCHA (KYOBANCHA)
400g / 700 yen
‘Kyobancha’ (Kyo means from Kyoto) is a type of Bancha also called ‘Iribancha’ by the people of the Kyoto prefecture. It is said that this tea was originally discovered after a forest fire: the smell of scorched tea trees spread through the land, intriguing the surrounding inhabitants.
Iribancha is said to offer results  close to the first brewing experimentations carried out by Japanese people of the past. This is a very traditional daily tea used by households and restaurants alike for many years (it can be prepared in large quantity to be enjoyed all day).
Our Iribancha is made from stems and thick leaves harvested in winter (February-march) when the tea trees are trimmed in preparation for the spring harvest. The leaves & stems are steamed, but unlike other Japanese loose leaf teas, they are not rolled during the production process. They are then dried in the sun and roasted in large iron pans according to traditional production methods. As a result, they are seared in places, revealing a unique smoky aroma, with a full bodied, sharp flavor.
Iribancha can be served cold in summer, and hot in winter for climate-appropriate refreshment.
This tea can be infused in boiling water (2L), with 15-20g leaves infused for 90 sec. Filtering the leaves out and cooling down the resulting liquor allows to obtain enough tea to last through the day, enjoyed cold or reheated.
Like Houjicha, Iribancha is mild in caffeine, and enjoyed by elders and young children alike.

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