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Green tea is made solely from the leaves of Camellia sinensis that have undergone minimal oxidation during processing.<br/><br/> Green tea originates in China and has become associated with many cultures throughout Asia. It has recently become more widespread in the West, where black tea is traditionally consumed. Many varieties of green tea have been created in countries where they are grown. These varieties can differ substantially due to variable growing conditions, horticulture, production processing, and harvesting time.<br/><br/> Over the last few decades green tea has been subjected to many scientific and medical studies to determine the extent of its long-purported health benefits, with some evidence suggesting that regular green tea drinkers may have a lower risk of developing heart disease and certain types of cancer.
Baisao (1675 -1763) was a Japanese Buddhist monk of the Obaku school of Zen Buddhism, who became famous for traveling around Kyoto selling tea. Baisao or 'Old Tea Seller', was a name he picked up from his act of making tea in the Kyoto area. His Zen priest name was Gekkai Gensho.<br/><br/> Later in his life, he renounced his priesthood and adopted the layman name of Ko Yugai. When Baisao was 49 years old, he left monastic life and began peddling tea in Kyoto. His tea differed from that of matcha, the most common tea in Japan at the time. He offered 'simmered tea', a style of green tea from China that is similar to what we now know as green tea. Eventually, he was introduced to a new style of tea, similar to his 'simmered tea' that was invented in Japan, known as sencha.<br/><br/> He wandered to different locations in Kyoto to offer his tea, typically stopping near the numerous Zen temples and gardens. He carried all his equipment needed for making tea in a weaved bamboo basket that he lugged around on a stick over his shoulder.<br/><br/> Baisao never sold his tea. He carried a bamboo tube with which he collected donations. He lived an ascetic life and used the donations to keep himself nourished with rice and water.<br/><br/> Baisao's poetry and calligraphy are considered important in the Zen history of Japan, especially in Kyoto where Baisao was well known for offering tea to passers-by in return for donations. His poetry was highly regarded by the artists of 18th century Kyoto. Over 100 of his poems have survived.
The Japanese tea ceremony, also called the Way of Tea, is a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha, powdered green tea. In Japanese, it is called chanoyu (茶の湯) or chadō, sadō (茶道). The manner in which it is performed, or the art of its performance, is called otemae (お手前; お点前). Zen Buddhism was a primary influence in the development of the tea ceremony.<br/><br/> Tea gatherings are classified as chakai (茶会) or chaji (茶事). A chakai is a relatively simple course of hospitality that includes confections, thin tea (薄茶 usucha), and perhaps a light meal. A chaji is a much more formal gathering, usually including a full-course kaiseki meal followed by confections, thick tea (濃茶 koicha), and thin tea. A chaji can last up to four hours.