Green Tea, Black Tea, and Oolong Tea: What's the Difference?

Green tea, Black tea, and Oolong tea—these teas, commonly found around us, are essentially made from the leaves of the same tea plant. (Similar to wine grapes, there are several varieties of tea plants.)
So, what makes them different?

One key factor is the presence and degree of fermentation caused by oxidizing enzymes.

• Tea made without fermentation is green tea.
• Tea partially fermented during production is oolong tea.
• Tea fully fermented is black tea.

Additionally, differences in tea plant cultivation methods and tea leaf processing techniques result in a wide variety of teas. Broadly, teas can be categorized as follows:

1. Non-fermented Tea: Green tea (Japanese tea)
2. Semi-fermented Tea: Oolong tea
3. Fully-fermented Tea: Black tea

Types of Green Tea (Japanese Tea)

Green tea has been a beloved beverage in Japan for centuries. Its variety comes from differences in cultivation and post-harvest processing methods.

Sencha

Sencha is the most widely produced green tea in Japan. Made by rolling and drying tea leaves, it has a perfect balance of moderate bitterness and a refreshing green aroma and color.

Gyokuro

Gyokuro is a premium green tea made from the first flush of tea leaves, grown under shade for about 20 days using special coverings. This shading technique reduces the production of bitter compounds while increasing the concentration of theanine (an amino acid) in the leaves, resulting in a rich and smooth flavor. Brewing it at 50–60°C extracts its delicate and savory taste to the fullest.

Kabusecha

Kabusecha is made from tea leaves shaded for about one week before harvest. While similar to Gyokuro, the shorter shading period gives it a unique character. Depending on the water temperature, Kabusecha offers different flavors—brewing at a lower temperature enhances sweetness, while higher temperatures create a sharper, Sencha-like taste.

Tencha/Matcha

Tencha is the raw material for Matcha. Similar to Gyokuro, it is made from shade-grown tea leaves, which are steamed, dried without rolling, and stripped of stems and veins. Tencha is known for its mild bitterness, fresh green aroma, and rich flavor.

Bancha

Bancha is made from mature tea leaves and stems harvested later in the season, or as a byproduct of trimming the tea plants. It is processed like Sencha. Additionally, Bancha or Sencha can be roasted to produce Hojicha, which has a toasty aroma, mild bitterness, and a smooth finish.

What is "Aracha"?

Just like fresh flowers wilt and lose their beauty over time, freshly picked tea leaves oxidize and lose their vibrant green color and fragrance if left unprocessed. To prevent this, tea farmers quickly transport harvested leaves to tea factories on the same day for steaming, rolling, and drying to stop oxidation and preserve freshness.

The resulting tea leaves, processed only to this initial stage, are called "Aracha." These raw tea leaves are later further processed—sorted for size, ground into Matcha, or blended with other teas—before they reach consumers.

In other words, Aracha refers to unprocessed tea leaves in their natural, uncut form. Unlike typical teas sold in stores, Aracha retains its original, unrefined state, directly reflecting its journey from the tea farm.