Many Japanese people have allergy to cedar pollen and I am not the exception.
From February to April, even before the pandemic, visitors to
Japan were surprised to see so many Japanese wearing face masks. Healthy person also wear masks, for example movie stars and villain to hide their identity, and some people to protect the throat. One of my ballet teacher is a mask lover and wears one whenever she is outside the studio.
Face-masked faces are familiar to the Japanese.
I hear that Western people feel fear or anxiety for masked faces.
On the other hand, the Japanese seek safety and comfort on wearing masks, I think.
When the corona virus pandemic started to affect Japan, people started buying masks. The price of face masks had surged.
Not only the Japanese are mask lovers.
When I went to Hanoi, Vietnam last year, I saw many people covered their faces with masks. A Vietnamese guide said they were suffering from PM 2.5 air pollution from China. PM 2.5 means particle matter with the size less than 2.5 micron and has become a problem also in Japan. In Hanoi, next to China, the problem has been more serious. Still, China never stops to exhaust the pollutant, so people wear them to protect themselves.
Lovely masks made of cloth were sold and I got some for me and my friends who also have allergy.
As the supply of face masks became scarce, I started creating masks based on the Vietnamese ones. Now many people are wearing colored or designed masks.
Quite a few Japanese enjoy wearing masks at present.
Mask boutiques are appearing here and there in Japan.
I am sure people will continue to wear face masks even after the pandemic is over.
The number of PCR-positive people is increasing also in Japan. We have to be more careful.
