Black teas are made from tea leaves that have been quickly and heavily oxidized. This gives the leaf and liquor a dark appearance and significantly changes the aroma and flavor - most notably in the strong body of breakfast teas. Chinese gongfu black teas are less concerned with strength and focus on more subtle characteristics.
Traditional Japanese green teas are steam-fired (unlike the dry-firing of Chinese green tea) which makes them more rich, brothy, and grassy. Their appearance alone identifies them in their long, emerald needles or fine green particulate leaf. The most popular style is sencha tea with all other Japanese teas being defined in their differentiation from sencha.
