What is Japanese tea made of?

Japanese tea is most commonly made from the Camellia sinensis plant. The leaves of this plant are used to make a variety of teas, including green tea, black tea, and oolong tea. The type of tea that is produced depends on the way that the leaves are processed.

* Green tea is made from unoxidized leaves, which means that they are not exposed to air after being picked. This results in a tea that has a light color and a delicate flavor.

* Black tea is made from oxidized leaves, which means that they are exposed to air after being picked. This results in a tea that has a dark color and a strong flavor.

* Oolong tea is made from partially oxidized leaves, which means that they are exposed to air for a shorter period of time than black tea leaves. This results in a tea that has a color and flavor that is somewhere between green tea and black tea.

In addition to the Camellia sinensis plant, other plants are also used to make tea in Japan. These include:

* Bancha is a tea made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant that have been picked after the first flush. This results in a tea that has a lower quality than tea made from the first flush leaves, but it is also lower in caffeine and has a more mellow flavor.

* Hojicha is a tea made from roasted bancha leaves. This results in a tea that has a smoky flavor and a low caffeine content.

* Genmaicha is a tea made from bancha leaves that have been mixed with roasted rice. This results in a tea that has a nutty flavor and a low caffeine content.

* Kukicha is a tea made from the stems and twigs of the Camellia sinensis plant. This results in a tea that has a light color and a delicate flavor.