Cherry blossoms are easily some of the most beautiful flowers. Blooming in abundance briefly in spring, it flavours many foods in Japan, including soft serve, chocolate, alcohol, and chips.

Japan Greentea Co Sweet Sakura Hōjicha is a hōjicha with cherry blossoms and leaves. The smell and taste of the tea are predominantly sakura, which is floral (although ‘floral’ isn’t a particularly helpful description as the floral notes of rosehip are completely different from that of chamomile or lavender) with a nuttiness from the houjicha. The hōjicha masks the sakura flavours to an extent, but the floral notes of sakura are quite pronounced and slightly sour and salty as expected. There’s also a sweetness to the tea that likely comes from the hōjicha itself.

It’s a rather complex mix of tastes in one tea. The slight saltiness is something new to me in a tea, and I’m not sure I love it yet – it confuses me for now – but it’ll likely grow on me. I thought I’d try the flavoured hōjicha to ease me into sakura, so  I’ll also have to try my actual cherry blossom tea before I conclude my thoughts on sakura tea.

This Japan Greentea Co Sweet Sakura Hōjicha contained 10 tea bags. The tea originated in Japan and was purchased in Tōkyō in 2015.