Why Is Hojicha Spelled Three Different Ways?
If you’ve ever searched for hojicha online, you might have noticed it appears in multiple spellings: hōjicha, hojicha, houjicha. At Mizuba, we have also used all three, originally introducing our hojicha spelled houjicha on our labels. But why the variation?
The answer lies in the intricacies of romanizing Japanese and how different systems approach the conversion of Japanese characters into the Latin alphabet!
The most technically correct spelling is hōjicha.
Hōjicha follows the Hepburn romanization system, which is the most widely accepted method for transcribing Japanese into English. In Japanese, hojicha is written as ほうじ茶, where ほう (hou) contains a long vowel sound. Hepburn romanization indicates long vowels with a macron (¯), so the correct representation is hōjicha. However, macrons are often omitted in everyday use (especially online) because they are not commonly typed on standard keyboards.
The spelling hojicha is the most common in English-speaking countries. That version is a simplified version that drops the long vowel notation, making it more accessible and easier to read for people unfamiliar with Japanese pronunciation rules. While technically not the most precise, it has become the standard spelling used by tea sellers and consumers worldwide.
On the other hand, houjicha is a more direct phonetic transliteration that reflects how the word is originally written in kana. Since ほう (hou) contains the kana う (u), some people romanize it with a “u” to mirror the original spelling. While this method is not incorrect, it is less commonly used in modern romanization conventions.
While hōjicha is the most accurate according to traditional Romanization rules, hojicha is the most commonly used and recognized spelling, and houjicha is a phonetic alternative based on kana structure. No matter how you spell it, hojicha remains the same beloved roasted green tea with its signature warm, toasty aroma and naturally sweet flavor.
May we recommend ours? We adore our organic hojicha powder for lattes, our loose leaf hojicha for something cozy in the afternoon, and our organic chamomile hojicha for winding down at night!
Celebrate all forms of hojicha with our collection –– check it out here!
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