Hojicha (sometimes spelled houjicha) is a Japanese green tea that has been roasted at a high temperature. It is usually made of bancha, but it can also be composed of sencha or kukicha. The process of making hojicha first came about in Kyoto, during the 1920s. It is believed that roasting the leaves over charcoal was a way for merchants to make low grade tea more desirable. The leaves of this roasted tea have a crimson-brown colour, along with a strong, nutty aroma.