Matcha Plus & Hojicha: New Japanese Tea Trends Emerging in Hawaii’s Café Scene

In Hawaii, Japanese food and drinks are no longer seen as exotic imports but as a natural part of everyday lifestyle, and tea is at the center of this shift. Matcha has moved from a niche ingredient to a familiar daily drink, opening the door to a new wave of innovation around Japanese tea.

One of the most visible changes is the rise of "matcha plus" beverages that combine high‑quality matcha with tropical fruits and local flavors. Menus now feature recipes such as matcha with mango or guava, creating colorful, Instagram‑ready drinks that still feel "healthy" to Hawaiian consumers. For cafés and restaurant owners in the United States, Hawaii offers an early preview of how matcha can evolve once it becomes part of the mainstream beverage lineup.

In this context, matcha itself is no longer the final destination; it is the base for creative, seasonal and region‑specific combinations. Instead of positioning matcha only as a traditional Japanese drink, Hawaiʻi‑based shops are treating it as a versatile ingredient that can be layered with fruit purées, plant‑based milks, house syrups or fermented elements such as koji to create a signature "island Japanese" style. This approach allows local businesses to differentiate their menu while still leveraging the perceived health benefits and premium image of Japanese green tea.

At the same time, another Japanese tea is quietly moving into the spotlight: hojicha, a roasted green tea known in Japan for its comforting aroma and gentle taste. In Hawaii, consumers are responding strongly to hojicha's nutty, roasted fragrance and its relatively low caffeine content compared with matcha, which makes it attractive as an afternoon or evening drink. For guests who find straight matcha too intense or too stimulating, hojicha offers a softer gateway into Japanese tea culture.

Many Japanese tea cafés and drink stands in Hawaii now present hojicha lattes right next to flavored matcha lattes, effectively positioning hojicha as the "second pillar" of their Japanese tea lineup. Beyond drinks, some stores are starting to use hojicha as the main flavor in desserts, jellies and toppings, and these products are opening in prime locations and gaining strong local popularity. This suggests that roasted tea flavors can extend beyond the cup and into broader menu categories such as parfaits, ice cream, baked goods and plant‑based desserts.

For U.S. café and restaurant buyers who import directly from Japan, these developments highlight several practical opportunities. First, matcha can be marketed and used not only for classic lattes, but also as a base for fruit‑forward "matcha plus" drinks that fit local tastes, climate and seasonal produce. Second, hojicha deserves consideration as a core item rather than a niche specialty, especially for concepts that emphasize wellness, relaxation, lower caffeine options and warm, comforting flavors.

In Japanese, matcha refers to stone‑milled powdered green tea made from shade‑grown leaves, traditionally whisked with hot water, while hojicha refers to green tea that has been roasted to bring out a toasty aroma and a mild, smooth taste. Both teas share the same cultural origin, but their flavor profiles and caffeine impressions are different, allowing cafés to design clear use cases: matcha for energy and color, hojicha for calm and aroma. Building a balanced Japanese tea menu around these two axes can help U.S. operators capture the next wave of consumer interest in authentic yet adaptable Japanese beverages.

As Hawaii continues to experiment with "island Japanese" food and drink that blend local ingredients with Japanese techniques, its cafés and stands are effectively acting as a test market for Japanese tea trends. Watching how matcha is being transformed into creative "plus" drinks and how hojicha is stepping up as the next star can offer valuable hints for American cafés planning their own Japanese tea strategy. For businesses that already import matcha from Japan, now may be an ideal moment to consider expanding into roasted hojicha and to explore new, locally inspired "matcha plus" recipes on the menu.

Source (Japanese, in Japanese):
なぜ今ハワイで「日本ブーム」が起きているのか？ハワイ在住・元テレ朝アナが現地で大人気の日本発グルメ＆グッズを紹介｜女子SPA！ ページ2
https://joshi-spa.jp/1400031/2