Why do Japanese people wear surgical masks? It’s not always for health reasons

Now, in 2020, with the coronavirus killing hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world I found this article most interesting...given the (relatively) low number of deaths in Japan - caused by Covid-19.

It would appear - to me - that Japanese' culture has much to do with this fact. The wearing of face masks as a matter of course combined with a Society where respect for others is at the forefront of its culture...and where obesity and heart disease are not the norm (as here in the West) may well have proved a winning formula in the survival stakes as far as Covid-19 is concerned.

Japan...you have my respect! Meanwhile, Western culture would seem to be regressing to a period akin to 'The Wild West of America'. Oh well, you reap what you sow...

This is just my opinion. They wear literal masks like we in the west wear our ' psychological masks " . Here in the west we know how to put on a 'face' that says "i am busy don't bother me " . Or that vague look that tells others nothing aout what we are feeling or thinking. I guess every civilization has their own ways.

I strongly feel that after living here a few years, that it is mostly a social thing. An escape.All I see is people that wear masks to hide from the world. They are afraid. I understand the practical uses, but I don't believe the majority of people wear them for that reason. It's sad.

Japanese wearing surgical facemasks usually puzzles me. If it's all about personal hygiene, if I will be walking in d streets of Japan, I'll prefer wearing Slipknot gasmask to be different. lol

a psychologist might make a distinction about this social phenomenon. wearing a surgical/face mask to: 1) commit a crime = antisocial behavior; 2) to shun others = avoidant behavior...we mistakenly label shy/aloof people as antisocial when they actually are of the avoidant personality type...such a relatively innocuous quirk among the japs that does not warrant me to disparage them but rather begs cultural perspective & empathy...dif'rent strokes for dif'rent folks!

I'm American and have been looking at reusable masks online. The CDC is warning of a measles outbreak and I work around a lot of people who are always coughing. I suppose I'll look weird being the only one wearing a mask but it's gotta start somewhere. xD

Maybe washing hands with soap and water should become a priority, if germs and fear of getting ill is the reason for wearing the mask. Handwashing is the best, cheapest and most proven way to prevent the spread of illness. That's not an opinion folks.

I believe the severe cold weather lately makes your skin very dry, and also damages the make up...

After coming to Japan and get used to see so many people wear mask, my only question is how come its always white. Since it has obviously became almost like an accessory to people here, I can't understand how can no one came up with the idea to have them in different colors.

I'm thrilled to report that scented masks in various pastel shades are becoming popular here, and I am an enthusiastic early adopter. I think that masks, for females at least, are well and truly becoming a fashion accessory here. For those of you who deny that Japanese people (women) wear masks to avoid social contact with other people, then why is the advertising catchphrase "a happiness that only you will appreciate?" A person who wears masks for the sake of others definitely doesn't care about whether her mask is sufficiently fragranced and coloured enough to make herself happy. Get with the times, grannies!

i don't like to wear a mask but i know many of my japanese friends wear it during cold winter especially if you ride a bike or walk to the train station, a mask keeps your face warm. they also wear a mask because they don't want to get sick or give sickness to others.

people who are saying japanese people wear a mask because they don't like other people or they don't like their faces.. i just roll my eyes..

i don't like to wear a mask but i don't mind others wearing it :)

This surgical mask article appears every several months here.

The masks eventually start to smell. Dunno if ya want to be smelly to others.

Can be good for all sorts of things. Bad face day, just a bit shy, showing your hard working and altruistic nature, keeping out others bad breath or hay fever causing things, even a bit of cosplay (although makes kissing a bit tough). Part of Japanese scene. Not everyone here likies thm but they are certainly a recognisable feature of the social landscape.

The most important way by which a mask prevents the spread of disease is that it keeps you from touching your nostrils, your face, and mouth with your fingers after you touch all the surfaces around you as you walk around (that stair railing, that seat, the doorknob, etc.).

Luap - as anyone who has ever used the Chiyoda line can confirm, courtesy is seldom a deciding factor in this neck of the woods.

At least if an oyaji is wearing a mask, there's a chance he might keep his fingers out of his nose.

My mom recognizes Japanese tourists from the surgical masks (and also the total sun protection array..)

"it makes you look like a ninja"

Hee hee!

Take the Tokyo tube in winter and you feel moving in a hospital. Awful!

@luapFEB. 23, 2014 - 07:55PM JST

I also fell for this courtesy thing in the beginning. Later on I realized the different possible reasons of wearing a mask was

I would recommend to some western tourists also wear surgical masks in Japan. Because they like to open their mouths, time to time saying 'WOW!" while rambling on streets of Tokyo or Osaka.....it looks out a bit silly, you know....

I also fell for this courtesy thing in the beginning. Later on I realized the different possible reasons of wearing a mask was, till now I have come up with 10:

to avoid catching the flu to hide your face (shy/ugly/anorexia/anxiety) to hide your face (leave me alone) fashion warm allergy to sneeze without holding your hand/arm in front of your mouth so you can continue staring at the keitai to have a barrier that prevents the bad breath from the ojisan to reach the nose adding the smell of roses to the mask, make them feel happy happy I love romance, pink and fairy tales because others tell them to do so/ mama san for instance ?

And despite wearing that mask for 'protection' for self and others, they sure as hell are quick to take it off during an English lesson, making teachers look back for having to bring the issue up for the protection of themselves and other teachers. No so OMOTENASHI in my book. That is plain out selfish.

That's gross

Wow. Why would you imagine I spend my time outside spewing snot, bogies and saliva everywhere? Do you? If so, maybe you should be staying home until you feel better....

o-daiji-ni. :-)

Because they ALL DO THE SAME THING! Creepy.

Cleo:

Don't think I'm going to take to wearing a mask, though, I'll just pull my scarf up over my nose.

That's gross. Snot, bogies and saliva over your scarf the next time you use it? This is the exact reason why I wear masks when riding my bicycle in the winters. I can throw the mask away afterwards. Or perhaps you wash your scarf after each time you use it.

But anycase, the masks are a godsend when the cold wind is blowing in your face and temperatures are close to freezing.

If one person wears a mask, it's maybe odd, if two wear them it's fashion, if three or more wear them and you're not then there must be something wrong with you. Sorta sounds like religion doesn't it.

here's the CM. plain.. weird :/

http://www.eisai.jp/health-care/ad-gallery/crv/b_boukin24_01_index.html

@Eiji TakanoFEB. 22, 2014 - 07:46PM JST

However, I am annoyed that people would wear masks out of shyness. Nobody cares about your stupid face! And besides, it makes you look creepy.

I guess, nobody in Japan cares about silly comments of South Koreans, Chinese and westerners about surgical masks.

Thunderbird,

I guess you are one of the lucky ones who hasn't gotten kafunsho (pollen allergies) yet. They make a big difference. Until I got allergies, I was like you, looking down on the mask. As for colds, who knows if it is effective, but at some workplaces it is expected, and it's not that big a deal.

Deplore - "So long as she got work done, what's it to you?"

Well, since you ask, she didn't. She was too crippled with shyness to perform any function whatsoever.

And Mr Kobayashi - if a man looks like a nobhead, acts like a nobhead and speaks like a nobhead, he is probably a nobhead. His incompetence has caused more than enough problems for my company for him to merit the title.

Thank you for your entirely irrelevant comment.

Did anyone see that CM of a whole family preparing to go out to work/school and the wifey gently helping them to wear their surgical masks? And at the end it shows a picture of them with their freaking masks enjoying their holiday, in the sunny Hawaii! How weird can be that?? Btw if japaneses wearing masks are nothing more than strange, seeing foreigners wearing them is just plain weird! Really seems like somebody with a terminal illness or something. Bet they would never wear them in their home countries, probably ppl would cross the street to avoid them!

I started wearing them fairly recently when the kafun is bad, and it really does help.

Don't knock it until you try it.

Strange ho so many wear masks, but don't wash their hands. Most Japanese think the washbasin is a spittoon.

I totally never thought a simple surgical mask could be this handy ehehehe~. The only time I wear one is probably because I am sick or don't want to get something from others.

I think they should ban them for security reasons.

Common courtesy may dictate you cover your nose and mouth but common sense dictates you should stay home. However, in Japan the pressure to perform is unrelenting and if you can let everyone else know you are suffering while you perform, so much the better.

I did get one great piece of advcie from a doctor once though that might help someone - I had an awful dry tickly cough that was keeping me up all night, and she advised wearing a mask in bed, as the moisture I breathe out will catch on the mask and moisturise new air coming in, soothing my throat. It REALLY worked!

-Hunny, take off your mask. I want to kiss you. -No, I don't.

A healthy society would fear for her mental health. Here, she was praised for being kawaaiiiiiiiii.

Eh, mid your own business. So long as she got work done, what's it to you? Not everyone is as outgoing as you think, nor is it necessarily a sign of mental health if they are. Humans didn't evolve to live in cities of millions of people packed together.

Why do Japanese people wear surgical masks?

Well, not all of them do.

I strongly suspect that those who wear surgical masks do so because other Japanese are wearing them.

in other words, there is no logic behind it.

Who cares what anyone else thinks

You mean other than pretty much everyone?

Most of the young people I know who wear them do so to cover up blemishes, though the notion of not wanting attention and/or to talk to people also sounds about right. These masks do not help prevent the spread of, or catching of, colds or flu, but if not constantly touched and adjusted they can prevent a certain amount of pollen intake, and in very try and cold weather provide a certain amount of humidity from trapped exhalation, and a bit of warmth.

How do young people in other countries where surgical masks aren't worn survive?

Hoods and burkhas for some. But most wear cars that cover them at 100%.

In Japan a facial mask is cute. In Brazil a string is cute. Different habits. Different culture. Different fun.

I don't understand why anyone cares whether other people wear them or not. I don't. My wife does. Other people I know do. My care level one way or the other: 0

Harold, nice to know you think of your coworkers as nobheads.

Alright, now I buy black masks and place the straps behind each ear then I transform into my inself 'NINJA'.

Actually we just painted our faces with camo paint to blend in with nature.

A bloke in my office wears one on his chin. When I asked him why, he said his wife was pregnant and he didn't want her to catch a cold. It is cold weather, you see.

So I asked if he thought cold weather spontaneously created the cold virus. He did.

Then I asked if he thought the office was cold. He did. It was 26 degrees. But technically winter, and ipso facto cold.

So I asked him how his wearing a mask on his chin kept his wife germ-free. His response was "Huhuhuhuhu, soooo deu ne", embarrassed quasi-laughing noise, then he pulled it up onto his nose and shuffled off.

Two hours later, it was on his chin again.

He really is a nobhead.

RangerMiffy - I'm with you. The disease control element of this magic talisman is close to zero. They wear them because other people wear them. A fetish, nothing more. Put one on on a train and you can get near-total isolation, particularly if you match it with a scowl and the obligatory air of wounded exhaustion.

"you could always pick up a ski mask at the sporting goods shop, but effectiveness aside, you’re going to get some strange looks wearing one anywhere other than on the slopes"

Who cares what anyone else thinks, go ahead and wear the ski mask!

I think that this is one of the most incredibly perceptive comments that I've read about Japan in my life! Japanese people, basically, don't like other (Japanese) people. Hence the masks, the convenience store automatons, the sour "leave-me-alone" faces on the subways, and yes, even the low birthrate

Japanese people I know must be unique then, because they have friends, certainly aren't lifeless machines and don't have sour expressions. Maybe the ones you've come into contact with don't like your superiority complex?

Japan is a haven for introverts and people with social anxiety. I think it's lovely there is a place in the world where the society has embraced it to this level.

I think that this is one of the most incredibly perceptive comments that I've read about Japan in my life! Japanese people, basically, don't like other (Japanese) people. Hence the masks, the convenience store automatons, the sour "leave-me-alone" faces on the subways, and yes, even the low birthrate.

It doesn't bother me whether people wear masks or not... but I do find it odd that some Japanese people on the planes to and from Japan put a mask on to sleep. Maybe to stop drool?

Japan is a haven for introverts and people with social anxiety. I think it's lovely there is a place in the world where the society has embraced it to this level.

That's not a good thing...

Japan is a haven for introverts and people with social anxiety. I think it's lovely there is a place in the world where the society has embraced it to this level.

@siniestro - I saw one years ago, (the mid "80s) with the Rolling Stones' protruding tongue logo on it ! Cracked me up !

I've had university students that I NEVER saw their lower face. I walked up from behind and passed women exquisitely dressed: western and full kimono, to find their appearance completely marred negated by that freaking white mask! I've spent (unfortunately) months in hospitals wherein I observed nurses, doctors, and staff wearing masks, which seemed required, hanging uselessly below their noses. And so on. Face it, folks, it is a FETISH. Just a wish for good luck. Will this inane fad continue forever? I sincerely hope not.

The other day I saw an onee-san walking her dog. Kid you not, the dog had a mask on.

However, I am annoyed that people would wear masks out of shyness. Nobody cares about your stupid face! And besides, it makes you look creepy.

"...my only question is how come its always white.(?)"

Because of peer pressure.

I would wear a mask when it's cold, and when I don't want people to transmit their DISEASES (cold) onto me.

I love Japanese Culture but simply can't understand this crappy, antisocial, sick culture of wearing a mask almost as part of your daily uniform. Most of folks I know wear mask for apparently no reason, since they wear it every day, as soon as they get into the office. What's disturbing is the fact if you put a neck warmer up until your nose, people will give you strange and even shocked looks, as if you're going to rob them or something. lol Thought once or twice to follow their "trend" when I wasn't on my best mood, but at the end found it too ridiculous to wear the thing.

cleo,

well there you are. naruhodo. kafunsho was my game changer, like I said. also, just remembered, when they say to drink lots of liquids, that's partly to keep your throat moist and healthy(er), as much as provide your body with fluid. I believe the mask is doing a similar function.

siniestro,

oh, but they do exist. there is pink, there is hello kitty, an pan man, doraemon, and many others. it is mostly aimed at the kids' market, tho, so if you're not around a lot of kids you may not see them. there is some overlap to teenage girls' market, but adults don't usually wear them. I think I've seen plaid too...

Masks don't really prevent colds or flu. 1. Airborn germs escape through the masks when people breathe, and most colds are not caught by airborn germs, but rather by touching. 2. People who wear the masks tend to touch on the masks unconsciously and the germs get on there hands, which they then touch the environment around them which spreads the germs.

Alcohol rub on hands after commuting/ touching door handles etc.. and most sickness will be avoided! I admit I end up not touching food or anything before I wash my hands well after commuting ^^;..that's what you get after studying infection control heh ^^;

There has to be a market for someone to make a men's scented Shibuya Panties mask.

Overall it stems from a lack of science and biology understanding outside of cram schools. I think the social need came after, but this of course is just my opinion. As to @Mar044, we didn't wear masks during SARS because it wasn't going to do anything. Actually, people would complain if you did because it created fear. Pro Tip: Science is to live without fear

Wash your hands. Thanks

Also Mythbusters showed that if you sneeze into your elbow and not your hands you can stop the spread of germs.

Cheers

After coming to Japan and get used to see so many people wear mask, my only question is how come its always white. Since it has obviously became almost like an accessory to people here, I can't understand how can no one came up with the idea to have them in different colors. Or even in different designs on them. If it already exists then I can't understand why it hasn't become so popular yet. Especially in a society that except of the salary man I've seen them wearing every possible color combination with no hesitation.

lowly - Every room in the house that I spend time in has a humidifier going 24/7, so for me at least it's drier outside.

I really don't like wearing a mask.

cleo-

I never used masks for years, til I got hayfever really bad. Then I started using them for colds too. Fact is, if you feel under the weather, a few drops of water in the mask can really humidify your throat/ nose. You never know why you didn't get a cold-- did it matter you took vitamin c? Does it matter you used a mask? But humidity does feel good.

However, I do that INSIDE where heaters are too hot and make it dry also. When I go outside, (if that's why I'm wearing the mask) I will take it off to get more fresh air!

Japan is pretty average for "dryness" on the humidity scale most days its still 50-90%

In summer maybe, in winter my hygrometer struggles to hit 30-40% without the humidifier on. Before you tell me my hygrometer is on the blink, Google is saying the humidity in Tokyo at this moment is 41%.

paul ayon

Also, it's makes you look like a ninja.

Helps, too, to figure out if there was garllc in the gyoza.

That girl in the pic looks fine in it to me.

Very fine.

Evidence points to masks not being effective, especially when used badly as most people in Japan. People constantly tug at the front of the mask, where presumably the virus is to be found chillaxing. It annoys me as it sets up the way of thinking that people wearing masks are helping prevent diseases and people with a cold who aren't wearing masks are recklessly endangering the health of those about them, despite the fact they are no longer contagious. Why kids wear them I don't know. The number of mask wearing kids I've seen pull them down so they can pick their nose and often consume the bogey afterwards is very high.

It's quite easy to find scientific studies on the Internet that illustrate that these common and garden variety masks serve little or no medical purpose at all.

If there's anything medical about them, it's the placebo effect in action. By wearing them, some people feel they won't get sick. However, in countries were they wear surgical masks for surgery, the masks are regularly changed, and not worn all day.

In addition, people expect you to wear them if you start to show symptoms of a upper respiratory throat infection (URTI) or cold - they are convinced that if you aren't wearing one, they will catch what you have, even though the incubation period for cross-infection has passed. The tendency for people in Japan to not take sick leave and come in coughing and spluttering makes the masks seem like something is being done by the 'gaman'-ing worker (who should be at home resting and recovering).

Which brings me to the other popular myth about gargling. Where I work, a case of flu was reported reecently, and an email was sent out telling people were told to gargle with water frequently as well. Yet again, gargling as a preventative measure is highly spurious as well.

After 3/11 when they were telling the kiddies to gargle with water after playing outside to prevent radiation exposure I nearly cried.

Harold, nobody wears sunglasses, hoodies, or hats in your country? Anyway, regardless of your interpretation, masks are way more prevalent nowadays due to hay fever. I also suffer from hay fever, and masks help a lot. Hay fever season is pretty much all year, depending on what you are allergic to.

Might be some sort of cosplay fad.

the air also gets very dry, and dry air makes it easier for germs and especially viruses to attack your mucus membranes

Very dry? please, Japan is pretty average for "dryness" on the humidity scale most days its still 50-90%, once you have lived in places like Nevada, Arizona, Colorado in winter then you'll really know what "very dry" air is ( its 20-40%). Drugstores stock, nasal saline sprays to keep your nasal passages moist, completely damp laundry can be hung out inside and it'll be bone dry in the morning, You can sweat like crazy and it'll evaporate instantly - now that's very dry Dust mites don't like the very dry, so dust mite allergies are much better in the very dry.

The make up aspect is pretty huge theses days, lots of early morning commuters - ladies are hiding their lack of a make up with their masks.

adopt this is the west, here in canada people go to work sick, cough and spit everywhere, and spread germs like wildfire, even really sick people in hospitals when I worked security there, didn't wear masks until the whole SARS outbreak, even now most take them off when given one by the nurse.

I fear the next ourbreak of something, half of us would get sick because nobody wants to wear a cover on their face.

good on you japan, for thinking of others and helping yourself

I used to think masks were quite weird when I came to Japan, and I do have girl classmates who quite often use them. However, I've got quite used to using one as well. I don't know if it protects from influenza or not, but it does give a certain security feeling. Even if it's just a little bit, the probability of getting it should be reduced. Even if the virus is small. Of course it's not perfect. There are no perfect antivirus, lol. Even if you wash your hands during 30 seconds and use alcohol and blablabla, in the end you have to put your hand in the handle of the toilet door to open it, so your are infected again lol xD I think it's part of everyone's common sense, what you should do or not. Well, but if you don't want to worry about those things, there's another thing that the mask protects your face from. Cold xD

Since glasses become cloudy by breath, I dislike wearing a mask.

I love masks, and I love living in a country where it's socially acceptable - nay, obligatory - to wear them. I wear my masks in pretty much the same way that many Westerners wear sunglasses. Sometimes i wear both at the same time!

A mask as a women's fashion accessory is often a Japanese veil - a tease for men who dream about the cute face underneath it.

This place is just plain weird.

Major criticism of the article is the writer doesn't explain how the wearing of masks started and when. It is not like surgical mask have been around forever. My understanding is that they showed up related to the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. Masks were worn all over the world then to prevent getting it since 25% will die. Later, in 1934 ( another flu outbreak) they became of wearable so people wore them to prevent getting sick and sick people wore them to prevent spreading the illness. Today it is still used to help prevent the spread of illness but not so much to preventing getting sick unless you are a healthcare worker. It also used for allergies in the spring and for fashion today. BTW, you may see an explosion of masks if we ever get another pandemic like the 1918 one where some people caught the flu on the train to work and were dead by the time the train got to their stop.

Also, it's makes you look like a ninja.

I was talking to my doctor yesterday and mentioned that I'd had flu over Christmas. 'Yes, it's been cold,' he said. '...??' said I. 'Does cold weather give people colds and flu??' 'Not in itself,' says he. 'But when it's cold here the air also gets very dry, and dry air makes it easier for germs and especially viruses to attack your mucus membranes. I suggest you wear a mask outdoors, to keep the area round your mouth and nose moist.'

So there you have another reason, propagated by doctors. Don't think I'm going to take to wearing a mask, though, I'll just pull my scarf up over my nose.

The answer to the headline is simple. Japanese have issues with self esteem and the arguement about not wanting to spread illness is a cover-up. Colds and flus are no less in the land of the surgically masked as anywhere else.

here's hoping motorcycle helmets become popula

Because many are not confident enough to show their faces. They can show they're brand bags, designer clothes and stiletto heels and mismatched ensemble but not their faces.,mind you, this is so true..this is putting aside one that coughs or has a cold. They feel confident enough when their faces are covered. Poor things.

Another reason, so cameras will not get the full face. They can always claim, "that was not me".

Fashion, health, mental illness, psycological ... whatever the reason is, the mask-making companies are getting $$$$ out of Japan.

This notion that Japanese people wear surgical masks to prevent others from catching their illnesses — and that this therefore represents one manifestation of Japanese people's ultra-courteous nature — is one of the many well-worn canards people would often tell me when I first came to Japan. I have to admit I bought into the myth before coming to Japan and in my early years here.

After having lived here for ages I realize this is most often not the reason. Case in point, my significant other wears them firstly because of her obsessive fear of germs, secondly to avoid contact with others, thirdly to cause others to know she is suffering when she truly is feeling under the weather, and finally when there are spikes in cedar pollen or pollution blowing over from China.

cut off unwanted social interaction

I would say this point is probably the clincher, much more so than any spurious claims that masks prevent influenza.

Think about it: if these things DID stop influenza, why do we have an epidemic here every year, and no less of one than in Europe, where people don't wear them?

As has been remarked upon by those in the know, the virus is so minuscule it can easily pass between the fibres in a mask. Like water through a fishing net.

No, in a land where so many are cripplingly shy, this device offers a shield against the scary outside world. For the socially inept, it's like a cloak of invisibility, helping you to hide and live inside your solipsistic cocoon.

A girl worked in my office l for twelve months, and we never once saw her face, she was never hear to speak above a whispered squeak, and she never once made eye contact with a living soul. A healthy society would fear for her mental health. Here, she was praised for being kawaaiiiiiiiii.