Tokyo has only two barley tea makers, we visited one to see how mugicha is made

Barley tea (mugicha) is made entirely from roasted barley grains with no tea leaves involved, and Tokyo's Ogawa Sangyo is one of only two facilities in the city that produce it. The company sources Japanese barley from three prefectures and uses a labor-intensive direct-fire roasting method in two stages—first at 250°C and then at 180°C with sand to evenly distribute heat—to create a richer flavor and aroma compared to mass-produced versions.