Pollen allergy and Masks

If you have visited Tokyo or other cities of Japan in February – March period, you must have realized almost all people were wearing surgical masks.

I am one of these people wearing a mask. Cedar pollens is the allergen floating in the air during February to early April, which affect about 1/4 of the population in Japan. In Tokyo, almost 1/2 of people are reported to be suffered by the cedar pollens.

You were right, you felt almost “all” people wore masks. The allergy was probably not only by the pollens themselves but also by air pollutions in urban areas. That is why Tokyo has much higher rate of patients compared to whole areas of the country.

Until 2019, these hay fever patients should better take off masks during business meetings, though people having severe symptoms were not necessarily able to follow the rule. Now, under this new life style with COVID-19, at least those suffered severely do not worry about taking off masks even in formal situations. They can always put on masks in a regal way.

Many of foreign visitors to Japan may misinterpret that Japanese are used to / willing to wear masks. This is not true.
People are just suffered by the seasonal national disease.

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