I'm going to Japan for the first time soon. I'm aware that green tea is pretty ubiquitous there, but I'm supposed to avoid it with medication I'm taking. How easy is it to avoid it if you don't speak the language? I can always just leave it, but is that rude? I'm not usually a worry-wart tourist like this.

just don't drink any tea

Sounds logical.

It's true that you aren't required to drink tea. Just graciously refuse it when offered.

You say:

<i>ni arerugii ga arimas o cha</i>

someone else will be by to correct my Americanized Japanese,lol
Do you put cha first? I always get that confused but if you can say this they will know you are allergic to tea. Green or any other color,lol

Aloha!

The usual word order is: Subject - Object - Verb.
So it would be (Watashiwa - I have/I am, often left unsaid) ocha (tea) arerugii (allergy) ga arimasu (have).
Or just say,
Sumimasen, ocha wa nomenai no desu. Omizuwo onegai shimasu.(Sorry, I can't drink tea. Could I have water, please.)

That's helpful, thanks. I'll memorize it.

Nobody will get offended if you don't drink the green tea. It's no big deal.

Also, keep in mind there are also green tea ice cream, green tea latte, green tea pastries, etc. Avoid all those greenish looking things.

A shorter way to refuse the tea and ask for water:
Wave your hand in short motions with the palm out (kind of like a stilted beauty queen) over the tea cup and say, "Omizu kudasai".

Alec's is more formal and polite, but unless your prononciation is good, I find the less words used, the more likely they'll actually understand you.

Have you seen Fodor's Japanese language chart here? It's good.

http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...nd-chinese.cfm

Twelve days ago, when in Japan, we were surprised to be served Black tea at the end of our hibachi dinner

Thanks to all.