Although no official records exist, it is believed that Hojicha was invented around the Showa Era (1926-1989) when tea merchants in Kyoto were struggling to sell enough tea during the Showa Depression. At the time, there were no tea preservation methods in place, and unsold tea would deteriorate quickly and have to be thrown away. To tackle this problem, one tea merchant took his tea leaves to Kyoto University to consult with a professor. He left with the idea of drying and roasting the leaves and hojicha was born! Not only was it a hit with other tea merchants as a way to save their produce, but it became well loved amongst tea drinkers across Japan for its unique taste and comforting aroma. Some people say that it actually existed in Japan earlier than this, but since there are no records, the true origin of hojicha remains a mystery.