Tea has always been an integral part of Japanese hospitality and culture, and is the most popular beverage in Japan. Green tea is widely consumed and is an essential part of the Japanese tea ceremony. There are over a dozen varieties of black and green Japanese teas available, each type is carefully crafted based on factors such as the cultivation and processing of the tea leaves, the timing of the harvest, and the specific part of the leaf used. Japanese teas are widely grown in Uji, Shizuoka, and Kagoshima, prefectures of Japan.