When I first came to Japan as a visiting relative, I was surprised to see a lot of people wearing masks. “What’s going on? Is there an epidemic?”, I curiously asked my sister who is married to a Japanese and has been living in Japan for many years. She explained that in Japan, it is normal for people to wear masks as protection from diseases and allergies.
(Photo from http://www.arishaintokyo.com/stuff-and-things/mask-yourself-from-the-flu/)
Back in my home country, if you wear a mask in any public place or even in the comfort of your own house, you will get that kind of look from the people around you as if you are suffering from a serious disease.
In my short visit to Japan, I could not avoid feeling weird every time I see a number of people around me wearing masks in public places. I felt like I was in a danger zone or in a scene from a disaster movie that anytime I can get sick and that I need to wear a mask, too, to protect me from the invisible enemy.
Out of curiosity, I tried wearing one. I was not feeling comfortable with my nose and mouth covered. I felt suffocated. I did not like it. The first time I wore it was not a pleasant experience for me.
When I came back to work in my country as a teacher, I tried wearing one while writing on the board to shield me from chalk dust and as expected, my students asked me if I was sick.
Fast forward two years later in a public elementary school in Japan where I worked as an English teacher, I was so surprised when one winter morning, all my studentts wore masks, except me.
Most of the teachers, too, wore masks . It was the flu season, so everybody wore masks to avoid catching and spreading the virus.
It is the one of the Japanese way of being polite and considerate to others. If you’re sick, wear it so as not to spread the virus.
You can’t get sick and be absent. It’s a crime! But, that is, of course, an exaggeration. Japanese are very work-oriented people and being absent from work or school will mean a big deal.
Masks are worn not only to avoid catching and spreading disease but I was told that it is also a way of keeping you warm in winter days. Winter in Japan gets really cold so wearing layers of clothing and a mask helps to keep you warm.
So, is it a must to wear a mask? Well, come and experience Japan and decide it for yourself.
