4 ms·

To comment on the face mask thing, locals told me that they wear it not so much for their own protection as out of consideration so as not to infect other peopl

by Fins 9y ago

To comment on the face mask thing, locals told me that they wear it not so much for their own protection as out of consideration so as not to infect other people if they sneeze.

lovemenot 9y ago
True. Also, in this season against pollen, especially from cedar which is all around.
griffinheart 9y ago
There's a lot of care about not disturbing other people in Japanese culture. A few additional reasons, for wearing a mask, not in the article: - Forgot or didn't have time to put makeup on - Kafunsho (hay fever) protection - Odor protection, there's also scented masks - Hiding braces
- lboc 9y ago
  >There's a lot of care about not disturbing other people in Japanese culture. Not in Tokyo.
mediumdeviation 9y ago
Their actual efficacy is questionable at best though. After about 10 minutes of breathing, water vapor from your own breathing would have rendered it more or less permeable to anything infectious. Sneezing into a handkerchief would probably be more effective.
- Fins 9y ago
  Efficiency is another question, it may be more of a "it's the thought that counts".
- pc2g4d 9y ago
  If it catches your spit when you pronounce sounds like "p" and "t", and catches your sneeze particles, it's likely to be pretty helpful.