Under HK$20 — matcha from a Kyoto tea house founded in 1922
Yummy's matcha and hojicha come from Nishimura Banchaya Honten, a tea house in Kyoto founded in 1922. Both are served at under HK$20.
Matcha and hojicha are different teas
They are often treated as one drink at two strengths. In fact they differ from cultivation to production.
| Matcha | Hojicha | |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Tencha (shade-grown) | Bancha |
| Method | Not rolled; dried then stone-ground to powder | Roasted at high heat |
| How it's drunk | The whole leaf is consumed | Brewed; only the liquid is drunk |
| Flavour | Deep, with umami | Toasted, nutty, lighter |
| Caffeine | Higher | Lower |
Matcha is the whole leaf. Hojicha is the roast.
Why Uji
Uji, in Kyoto Prefecture, has been a centre of Japanese tea since the Kamakura period. Shade-growing and the production of tencha and matcha developed there, and Uji remains the region most often named as the reference for matcha.
Why "banchaya"
Nishimura Banchaya Honten was founded in 1922, based in Fushimi, Kyoto. The name contains banchaya — a tea house that traditionally dealt in bancha and hojicha.
So the hojicha here is not an afterthought. It is the house specialty.
Why it can be under HK$20
Matcha in Hong Kong often lands around HK$40–60. Yummy keeps tea under HK$20 — because it is a restaurant beverage rather than a standalone tea-shop product, so the rent and brand premium are not all loaded onto one cup.
Where
Yummy Sanuki Handmade Udon · Shop 326-327, Level 3, Plaza Hollywood, Diamond Hill.
On the same menu as two kinds of handmade udon, fresh-cut sashimi and sake-steamed clams.
- Nishimura Banchaya Honten, official site (founded 1922)
nishimura-gelato-factory.com