Ishikawa (Kaga)
Output is small, but the region is known for kaga bocha, a hojicha of its own. It roasts stems rather than leaf, and roasts them lightly, so the cup is paler than ordinary hojicha and the aroma arrives differently. In Kanazawa it is an everyday drink.
Land and climate
Deep snow in winter on the Japan Sea side, and picking that runs late by national standards. The place matters less as a growing region than as a drinking one.
How it is made
Stems — bo, 'sticks' — roasted lightly. The account passed down is that it began in Meiji-era Kanazawa with the stems left over from making green tea. Unlike the harder roast of ordinary hojicha, the light firing keeps the sweet note the stems carry. Some are made from first-flush stems.
Cultivars
What to look for
'Bocha' or 'kaga bocha' means roasted stem. The liquor is pale but the aroma is strong, so judging it by color misleads. Water off the boil, kept short.