you're probably gonna see people wearing surgical masks

when I first came to Japan I thought that was pretty bizarre because

we don't see people wearing masks in the US when they're sick

I only saw that in hospitals and usually surgeons performing surgery

but here in Japan it's quite common

in fact people are not shy at all to leave the house out in the trains

go to the office with the sick mask on

The reason?

well I'm not really sure so I brought my friend Megumi here to answer some of

my questions

Are you sick?

No, I'm not sick

okay so if you're not sick why are you wearing a mask?

I'm just protecting myself

That's it!

All right, so you wear a mask as a defensive

mechanism against getting sick from other people

Exactly

Well, especially like every day I take train

Train is a dangerous, dangerous place

every day I take train

an inside the train is like pack of people in the morning

and if the person in front of you start coughing

or sneezing what can you do? Nothing! You'll just be standing

You cannot escape from the train. So, mask!

yes it protects you from someone if they

start coughing...from forntal attack

I don't know about the sides, but you need some protection

so that's why we need a mask

Megumi seem to make a lot of sense

I asked the train passenger outside the station for another point of view

so this train passenger's wearing her mask to protect herself from

other sick people and to stay warm. Interesting

there are many varieties of sick masks you can wear

it all depends on your preference. This one has a super strong filter

This one has a nose guard. These come

in different colors for women who want to match their outfit

this is a one-week supply of masks, has a wire nose guard

and offers and 99 percent promise to cut off

viruses if worn properly

Megumi and I decided to try one on

MEGUMI has chosen a mask with moisture packs

the box says it's perfect for the office

school, or for sleeping.

Just place the moisture pads into the masks' folds

and VOILA! You have a mask that both protects

and keeps the air inside moist for hours

How does it fit?

good

It has a steam

yup

I decided to try this unique mask with the nose guard to see if it felt

comfortable

alright

pretty comfortable

So if you come to Japan in the winter, wear a mask

It offers protection from the sick, keeps others from getting sick

helps reduce hay fever and keeps you warm