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Black tea VS Green tea

We tend to categorize green tea as Eastern culture, and black tea as Western culture. However, the trend is changing; more and more green teas are drank in different part of the world. Many of you might instantly think of Japan when you hear the word "green tea", but green tea is also widely produced and drank in China. Let's say, all the unfermented tea can be categorized as green tea. We get an certain kind of idea from black tea, something luxurious which represent the splendid culture of Europe. From green tea, we somehow get spiritual image represented as Asian Wisdom and philosophy and probably from its effect on health. It's true that Asian philosophies and green tea are tightly entwined. Recently, Asian philosophies are getting lot of attention in Western countries. And this trend is leading more people to drink green tea in Western countries. That does not mean, they are switching their habit of drinking coffee or black tea to green tea, but more people are drinking green tea as one option. I think this tendency is coming from the needs of people craving peace in their mind and balance in their busy daily life. People today are lack of having balance, calmness and harmony in their mind, and they seek "healing effect" in green tea. There was also a time in the past that green tea were exported to Europe. People in Europe drank green tea as a medicine, and people added sugar or milk to make the tea taste easier to drink. Now, varieties of flavored green tea are broadly drank in Europe and the U.S. The idea of making the taste more easy to drink is same as the former days, but people prefer not adding sugar or milk anymore. Some times they mix green tea with fruits juice or blend with other kind of tea. Now more people in Europe and the U.S. appreciate its bitterness and aroma of green tea, and they enjoy drinking green tea as it is, just like we do. Japanese green teas are still not fully accepted in the world. Because of the price, and the difference agricultural standard, Japan is having struggle go into the world market. There are still many matters to be taken care of before the Japanese teas will be widely drank in the world.

(Yoshie Matsumiya)