Japanese tea in Sweden

Japanese tea: sencha, hojicha and genmaicha

Japanese tea is green tea from Japan where the leaves are steamed right after harvest, unlike Chinese tea which is often pan-roasted. This gives a fresh, green taste and clear umami. The most common types are sencha, hojicha and genmaicha: sencha is brewed cool around 70°C, hojicha is roasted and mild, and genmaicha is blended with roasted rice.

Nekko Kitchen chooses Japanese tea that is easy to understand, easy to brew and nuanced enough to become a returning everyday ritual.

Here you will find green tea with fresh umami, roasted tea with warm aroma and tea with roasted rice for soft nuttiness.

Last updated 10 June 2026 · By the Nekko Kitchen Team

Sencha

A fresh green tea with clear umami, grassy notes and a clean finish. Choose it when you want a classic everyday Japanese tea.

Hojicha

Roasted Japanese tea with gentle warmth, low bitterness and a nutty, almost caramel aroma.

See our hojicha

Genmaicha

Green tea with roasted rice. The taste is rounded, nutty and easy to drink with food or during a quiet pause. Included in our tasting box together with sencha and hojicha.

Try genmaicha in the tasting box

Tea selection

Choose tea by taste and moment

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Uogashi Sencha - Japanese green tea (80 g)

Uogashi Sencha - Japanese green tea (80 g)

Uogashi Sencha is a Japanese green tea with a golden hue, fresh green aroma, distinct umami, and a clean, slightly astringent finish. It is suitable both as a first step into Japanese tea and as a recurring everyday cup when you want a clear cup with distinct character. The leaves are steamed immediately after harvest and carefully rolled into their thin, needle-like shape. This sencha is grown in Japan in full sunlight, without shading, which results in a lighter golden cup, lively aroma, and more balanced astringency than a shade-grown tea. Brew Uogashi Sencha with 4-5 grams of leaves, approximately 80°C water, and a steeping time of 30-40 seconds. If the tea tastes bitter, it is usually the water or the time that needs adjustment: lower the temperature slightly, shorten the brewing time, and let the leaves show their softer green side. Drink it with rice dishes, mild fish, vegetables, small sweet treats, or as a peaceful break when you want a Japanese green tea that feels fresh, clean, and easy to return to.

169 kr

Chaginza Houjicha - roasted hojicha (100 g)

Chaginza Houjicha - roasted hojicha (100 g)

Chaginza Houjicha is an unusual hojicha made from the stems of Chaginza's green tea. It resembles kukicha in raw material and feel but is roasted in the same style as a classic hojicha. The roasting results in an amber-coloured cup with soft warmth, low astringency, and aromas leaning towards roasted grains, nuts, and mild caramel. The stems make the expression lighter and airier than a leaf-based hojicha, without losing the roasted character. Brew Chaginza Houjicha with 3 grams of tea, 100°C water, and a steeping time of 30-60 seconds. It tolerates hot water better than many green teas and becomes smooth in the cup without quickly turning bitter. Drink it with rice dishes, roasted food, dark chocolate, fika (coffee break), or as a calming evening cup when you want a roasted Japanese tea with warmth, clear aroma, and a smooth finish.

199 kr

Cha Cha Cha - Japanese Tea Tasting Box (23 g)

Cha Cha Cha - Japanese Tea Tasting Box (23 g)

Cha Cha Cha is a Japanese tea tasting box for those who want to explore several teas at home without starting with large bags. The box contains five portion-packed tea bags: three different sencha, one genmaicha, and one hojicha. Each bag is portioned for a full pot and can be brewed multiple times. This makes the box an easy way to feel the difference between fresh sencha, mild genmaicha with roasted rice, and roasted hojicha with warmer aroma. Cha Cha Cha works both as an introduction to Japanese tea and as a small Japanese tea gift. The content is the same in all colors, so choose the box that best suits you or the recipient. ## Specifications Contents: 5 portion-packed loose leaf teas (3x Sencha, 1x Genmaicha, 1x Hojicha) Origin: Japan Net weight: 23 g Packaging: Available in three designs (yellow, beige, and pink, same content) ## Brewing Dosing: 1 bag per pot Temperature: 70-80°C Steep time: 1-2 minutes ## Storage Room temperature. Store in an airtight container in a cool and dark place.

229 kr

Brewing basics

How to brew Japanese tea without bitterness

Three things shape the taste: water temperature, brewing time and how much tea you use. Lower temperature and shorter time give a sweeter result. More heat lifts umami and roasted notes but risks bitterness if the leaves steep too long.

Read the guide to mizudashi sencha

Sencha

Temperature: 70°C
Time: 60 sec
Dose: 2 g per 180 ml

Lower temperature gives a sweeter note. Higher temperature lifts umami but risks bitterness.

Hojicha

Temperature: 95°C
Time: 30 sec
Dose: 2 g per 180 ml

The roasting lets it handle near-boiling water without turning bitter.

Genmaicha

Temperature: 80°C
Time: 60 sec
Dose: 2 g per 180 ml

The roasted rice balances the green tea and keeps the taste rounded.

Choosing guide

Which Japanese tea suits you?

For the beginner

Start broad. Try all three before settling on a favorite.

Japanese tea tasting box

For everyday

Sencha is our everyday choice. Quick to brew, fresh in taste, hard to tire of.

With food and in the evening

Hojicha suits roasted and grilled food and works as a calm evening tea. Less caffeine, more warmth.

As a gift

The tasting box gives the recipient three teas to compare and a small introduction to Japanese tea.

Japanese tea tasting box

Glossary

Japanese tea from A to Z

Short definitions of the terms we use when we talk about Japanese tea.

Umami: Umami is the fifth basic taste: a soft, savory, slightly salty flavor that in Japanese green tea comes from the amino acid theanine. Umami is what gives sencha its velvety depth.
Sencha: Sencha is Japan’s most common green tea. The leaves are steamed right after harvest to preserve fresh green color and umami, then brewed at a low temperature (around 70°C).
Hojicha: Hojicha is Japanese green tea roasted over high heat until the leaves turn brown. Roasting gives a warm, nutty aroma and low caffeine content, making it a gentler evening tea.
Genmaicha: Genmaicha is Japanese green tea blended with roasted rice. The rice adds a soft, nutty sweetness that balances the tea’s freshness, making genmaicha easy to drink with food.
Theanine: Theanine is an amino acid found in tea leaves that carries the umami taste. It produces a calm, focused feeling that balances caffeine, and is one reason Japanese tea feels harmonious.