Matcha vs Hojicha: Everything You Need to Know About Caffeine

The Caffeine Question: Matcha, Hojicha, and Everything In Between

If you've ever wondered how much caffeine is in your cup of matcha — or whether hojicha is really as low-caffeine as people claim — you're not alone. Caffeine content is one of the most common questions we receive at Maison Genkai, and the answer is more nuanced than a simple number.

Caffeine Content: The Numbers

Here's what science tells us about caffeine per standard serving (240 ml / 8 oz):

Matcha contains roughly half the caffeine of coffee, while hojicha sits at just a fraction — sometimes as low as 7 mg per cup. This makes hojicha one of the lowest-caffeine options in the tea world.

Why Matcha Caffeine Feels Different Than Coffee

Anyone who has switched from coffee to matcha notices the difference immediately. There's no spike, no crash, no jittery hands. The secret lies in L-theanine, an amino acid found in high concentrations in shade-grown tea leaves.

Matcha contains approximately 20 mg of L-theanine per serving — five times more than regular green tea. L-theanine promotes alpha brain wave activity, the same state achieved during meditation. When combined with caffeine, it creates what researchers describe as calm alertness: sustained focus without anxiety.

Coffee, by contrast, delivers caffeine rapidly into the bloodstream with no L-theanine to modulate the effect. This is why coffee often produces a sharp energy spike followed by a crash 2–3 hours later.

Why Hojicha Has So Little Caffeine

Hojicha is made from the same Camellia sinensis plant as matcha, but the leaves are roasted at high temperatures (150–200°C). This roasting process breaks down caffeine molecules, reducing the caffeine content by up to 80% compared to unroasted green tea.

Additionally, hojicha is typically made from larger, more mature tea leaves and stems (kukicha-style), which naturally contain less caffeine than the young, shade-grown leaves used for matcha.

When to Drink Each

Matcha — Morning to early afternoon. The 60–80 mg of caffeine paired with L-theanine makes it ideal for focused work sessions. The energy lasts 4–6 hours without a crash. Perfect as a coffee replacement.

Hojicha — Afternoon to evening. With only 7–20 mg of caffeine, hojicha won't keep you awake at night. Its warm, roasted flavor profile makes it a comforting evening drink. Many of our customers in Switzerland enjoy it after dinner as a digestive.

Health Benefits Beyond Caffeine

Both matcha and hojicha are rich in antioxidants (catechins), though matcha contains significantly more due to the shade-growing process that boosts chlorophyll and EGCG production. Matcha delivers roughly 137 times more EGCG than standard green tea.

Hojicha, while lower in catechins, is exceptionally gentle on the stomach — the roasting process reduces tannins, making it suitable for people with sensitive digestion or those who find green tea too astringent.

Our Recommendation

If you're looking for a morning energy ritual that replaces coffee without the jitters, our ceremonial-grade matcha from Yame, Fukuoka is the way to go. For an evening wind-down or a gentle introduction to Japanese tea, our artisanal hojicha is roasted in small batches by our partner farms in Japan.

Both deserve a place in your daily routine — matcha to start the day with clarity, hojicha to close it with calm.