Is it common to see people in Tokyo wearing masks?

[Mr Pickles]

I don't know the real name for the white surgical masks, but I saw a few pictures a week or so ago and noticed that two people in the same frame had on the masks. Instead of Tokyo, how about other asian cities?

Would they be protecting themselves from both pollution and disease? I'm curious...

 

[Anubis]

they are all germaphobes, people wear them even if they just have the sniffles

 

[E equals MC2]

Common? No.

But Asia is the ONLY place you'll see them wearing those IF they do. They wear it if they have a cold (it's just cultural like that to be courteous), or to block out pollution etc.

<-- grew up in Korea until 13.

 

[Mr Pickles]

Text

From what I saw last week, and then seeing this from digg earlier this morning. It looks common.

 

[mugs]

Maybe they're worried about the SARS?

 

[Toonces]

it's more of a culture/respect for others when someone is sick than being a germaphobe/SARS/pollution thing

taking a day off for being sick is a pretty big deal here so instead of infecting everyone in the train, office, school they wear the ????? to stop the spread of any airborne germs.

it's pretty funny when it's cold season because half the students come to school wearing them and trying to remember anyone's name becomes absolutely impossible.

a couple kids wearing them at one of my Junior High graduation ceremonies last year - Text

 

[maziwanka]

you'll see it around.

 

[venkman]

Originally posted by: toonces
it's more of a culture/respect for others when someone is sick than being a germaphobe/SARS/pollution thing

taking a day off for being sick is a pretty big deal here so instead of infecting everyone in the train, office, school they wear the ????? to stop the spread of any airborne germs.

it's pretty funny when it's cold season because half the students come to school wearing them and trying to remember anyone's name becomes absolutely impossible.

a couple kids wearing them at one of my Junior High graduation ceremonies last year - Text

That looks like a "Where's Waldo" Picture.

 

[theeedude]

Yeah, when i landed, I thought they had SARS going around, but it turns out they just wear them when they got a cold.

 

[yours truly]

modern day ninjas

 

[meltdown75]

i'm putting the over/under on the number of times this has been discussed here at 42.

 

[nakedfrog]

I remember seeing it sometimes when I lived there in the 80s.

 

[0roo0roo]

yea if ur crammed into a train i'm sure u'll be glad if the sniffling guy has a mask on.

 

[BRObedoza]

i see people wearing those every now and then. my boss wears one for allergies

 

[ViviTheMage]

I have seen SOME people do it in the states....when they are sick though.