|
|
|
Japanese People Wearing Facemasks
They wear them to protect themselves from pollen and from the flu. And also out of courtesy, so as not to pass on their germs. |
|
|
|
 Children’s facemasks |
|
|
|
|
|
What’s up with the Japanese? Why do they wear facemasks?
Let’s imagine that, on a very cold winter’s day, you find yourself in the middle of Tokyo on a business trip. You’re excited and eager to see new things in such an exotic land... After a while, you realize there are a lot of people out on the street wearing facemasks over their mouths, and you think: “What’s going on here?”. You start getting anxious...
But don’t worry; it’s not a bacteriological terrorist attack or anything like that. The Japanese wear facemasks to protect themselves from pollen and from the flu, and also to avoid passing on germs. They’re so thoughtful! In the wintertime, there’s usually a flu epidemic and it seems the reason everyone wears these facemasks is to prevent its spread. Because, aside from getting shots, there’s no better way to avoid the flu.
Just out of curiosity, and in line with the proverb that says, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”, you decide to try one so that you can finish your trip in good health.
Types of Facemasks
You go in a drug store and are surprised at the wide variety of facemasks available. All of a sudden, you start to feel dizzy. And it’s not the jetlag, it’s because you’re impressed by the selection. Some models are very simple, while others are downright
trendy: facemasks for people who wear glasses, make-up proof masks for women, a facemask with a little cat face drawn on it...
A store clerk notices your doubt, comes up and starts talking to you. “Until a couple of years ago we didn’t have such a varied selection of facemasks. My teenagers were embarrassed to wear them because they were ugly. But, now look! There are so many pretty and high-quality models... Let’s see, how about this one? It’s simple but nice.”
You read a phrase on the facemask’s package: “The 3-ply structure will keep all viruses and pollen away! It’s disposable, so you’ll always wear a new one! 7 masks for 250 yen." You buy a normal facemask, nothing too fancy but not bad either. And you convince yourself it’s a good investment for your weeklong trip.
Facemask Sales in Japan
On the subway heading back to the hotel, you put on a facemask and begin to feel like a native. You notice almost 1 out of 10 people are wearing a facemask. You take a seat and open a local (English language) newspaper you bought at a newsstand. You find an article about facemask sales in Japan:
“Facemask sales have risen by 40% (230 trillion yen) compared to last year’s figures. High-quality facemasks are selling especially well.”
The best-selling masks are N95 Type Facemask. These products conform to the US’s N95 NIOSH Initiatives in Occupational Health standard. They’re a little more expensive than other models, each one costs anywhere from 800 to 10,000 yen (!), but they’re a big hit at Rakuten (a huge Japanese on-line shopping site).
Nodo-nuru brand Nure-masuku (moist facemask), from the Kobayashi company, is also a good seller. They’ve managed to sell over 10 trillion facemasks! This figure corresponds to data compiled between September and November 2008. And it’s more than double compared to the previous year’s sales for the same period. This facemask keeps the area around your nose moist. It has an aromatized moist filter, which, with the help of some tidal air, it becomes vapor and moistens the throat. Viruses are weakened by humidity.
You’re going back home in a few days, and you’re thinking of taking all sorts of facemasks back as a Japanese souvenir for your coworkers.
Link TokioWorker
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 (15 Jan 2009)
(11 Dec 2008)
(12 Nov 2008)
(20 Nov 2008)
(19 Jan 2009)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Curioblog
Language English [
