Awa Bancha

Awa Bancha (阿波番茶) is a fermented tea, or rather a fermented Bancha. It is only produced in a few places in Fukuoka and Tokushima Prefecture. To ferment the tea is first boiled, crushed, pressed and then dried. The pressing process lasts up to a month. During this time, the tea is fermented by lactic acid bacteria, similar to the process used for sauerkraut.