Both green and black tea are obtained from the leaves of the same tea bush, but in different ways. Green tea is pre-fermented with steam at a temperature of 170-180 °C; oxidation lasts no more than two days, after which it is usually stopped by heating (traditionally in pots, as is customary in China, or under steam, as is customary in Japan) or is not carried out at all. Tea turns out to be oxidized by 3-12%.

Numerous East Asian green tea varieties exhibit marked differences due to the conditions in which the tea leaves are grown, harvested, and processed. Green tea comes from China and is traditionally popular in Asia (Japan, Korea, the Middle East).