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Chinese and Japanese green teas are both made from Camellia sinensis and are generally unoxidized, but they differ significantly in cultivation, processing, leaf shape, flavor, and brewing style.

The simplest distinction is this: Chinese green tea is often shaped through pan-firing and tends to emphasize roasted, nutty, floral, or fresh vegetal notes, while Japanese green tea is typically steamed and often has a deeper, greener, more savory character. However, there is much more variation within each country's tea traditions than this basic comparison suggests.

Longjing tea, also known as Dragon Well tea, is traditionally made by carefully picking young tea shoots and pan-firing them by hand or with controlled machinery, while authentic high-quality Longjing is distinguished by its production origin, cultivar, harvest timing, processing skill, and characteristic flat-leaf appearance and flavor.