Hojicha is another creative use of tea by-products by the Japanese. Hojicha was commercialized once mechanical harvesters started being used in Japan to compensate for labor shortages. The tea plant was shorn of everything, and the mess was separated later. The best leaves became Sencha, the larger leaves became Yanagi, and the stems became Hojicha. Tea terms in Japan have several meanings, and hojicha can mean several types of tea. For us, it is roasted twigs.