I recently tasted kukicha from maru matu tea. Wow! i really like it.It has a sweet, orchid aroma and taste much like chinese dancong oolong and after few brews it tasted like the soft da hong pao tea. Most of the tea contains twigs mainly. At that price I think it is quite a good tea to be drank everyday. Kukicha is one of my favorite now. Houjicha is not my cup. I never liked that one. For japanese tea I would have to say gyokuro, sencha, fukamushi sencha, mecha and kukicha. Matcha is ok if i really whipped it!