• Contents: Light-roast hojicha (asa-iri), made from stem tea, 100g; HOUJI-GEN, tea for home roasting, 100g.
• Ingredients: Green tea, Sayama, Saitama. Nothing else.
• Net weight: 200g total (100g × 2)
• Allergens: None known.
• Origin: Sayama, Saitama, Japan
• Storage: Keep tightly sealed in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight and strong smells. Roast small batches at a time to enjoy the aroma at its best.

For Miyanoen, a good cup of tea is closely tied to the time spent enjoying it. Brewing a pot, sitting down with someone, letting conversation unfold — these are the everyday pleasures they hope to share and pass on.

The family’s tea business dates to 1869, when they opened a shop in Tokyo. Today, in Sayama, Saitama, the fifth generation continues that work with an invitation to pause, even briefly, over tea.

That welcome rests on care that begins in the tea garden. Miyanoen grows its own tea and works with dedicated contract growers, sharing knowledge about soil, cultivation, and tea making. In their own factory, experienced tea masters work alongside modern equipment to bring out the aroma and flavor of each tea.

With this pair, that care carries through to a few peaceful minutes in your kitchen. Open the bags, warm a little tea in a pan, and enjoy the fragrance before the kettle has even boiled.

Miyanoen’s finished hojicha is lightly roasted stem tea, with a gentle toasted aroma and mellow sweetness.

With HOUJI-GEN, the character changes as you roast. A lighter roast keeps more of the green tea’s freshness; a deeper roast brings a fuller, toastier aroma. Try a little at a time, then enjoy it alongside Miyanoen’s light roast — you may find yourself reaching for different cups on different days.

Place a small handful of HOUJI-GEN in a dry frying pan over medium-low heat. Use no oil or water, and spread the tea in a thin layer so it can move freely.

Keep it moving gently with a wooden spoon or by shaking the pan. Over the next few minutes, watch the color deepen and enjoy the toasted aroma as it develops. The timing will vary with your pan, your heat, and how much tea you use.

When the tea is lightly browned and fragrant, tip it straight onto a cool plate — the hot pan will keep roasting it even after the heat is off. Let it cool before brewing. The full steps, with photos, are in Hojicha in a Frying Pan.

Hot, start with about 3g of roasted tea for 150ml of water just off the boil, and steep for around 30 seconds before pouring out all the tea. Adjust the amount or the steeping time to suit your cup — and if you are tasting the two bags side by side, use the same amount of tea, water, and time for both.

Cold water brings out a gentler flavor, so use a little more tea than you would hot: about 10g — roughly 2 to 3 tablespoons — per litre of cold water. Add the tea loose or in a large filter to a clean bottle, then refrigerate overnight. In the morning, strain out the leaves; left in for another day, they can turn the tea bitter. Keep what you strain out refrigerated and enjoy it that day.

If you are still choosing which Japanese tea belongs in your kitchen, our guide to Matcha, Sencha, Gyokuro, or Hojicha lays them side by side.