green tea

(ocha). Tea is usually classified into three groups according to the difference of processing: fermented tea (black tea), semi-fermented tea (oolong tea), and non-fermented tea (green tea). Among these three types, almost all teas are made into green tea in Japan. Green tea is classified into several different kinds according to the part of the leaf used, cultivation methods, and manufacturing methods. The most popular kinds include sencha (the first crop of the season), bancha (made from lower-grade leaves and stalks), genmaicha (made with rice kernels), gyokuro (a high-grade tea made from exclusively from leaves grown in the shade), and matcha (another high-grade tea, used in tea ceremony). (from the World Green Tea Association, http://www.o-cha.net/english/cup/gift.html).