What Comes Out of Faucet in Shizuoka

“Did you know green tea comes out of faucets at school in Shizuoka?” 

Kyohei said when we were just chatting about our childhood in Japan. “Sure. Sure.” I cynically responded because I thought Kyohei was just joking.

OMG, he was NOT joking!
Look at these photos. Kids are enjoying green tea from the faucets whenever they want.

Shizuoka prefecture is worldly known as the “Green Tea Capital”; I wouldn’t be surprised if people of Shizuoka drink green tea like water, but this?! Really?
Green Tea Haven, Green Tea Mecca, Green Tea Capital… whatever it is; Shizuoka knocked my socks off!

Schools are also encouraging students to gargle with green tea. I thought this is an awesome idea and wish we could do the same in the states. The numerous studies show green tea gargling prevents cold and flu, even cavities. Kyohei, now 30’s, who grew up in Shizuoka drinking tons of green tea, never had cavities in his life. He told me even his parents and siblings rarely see a dentist.

By the way, February is National Children’s Dental Health Month.  Moms, shall we start packing a bottle of green tea in our kid’s lunch bag? :-)

If you want to read one of the recent studies of green tea effects, go to:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22123226