Why Do Japanese People Wear Surgical Masks?

June 14, 2012 by John 168 Comments

For first time visitors to Japan, seeing people out and about in surgical masks can be a bit confusing. Are they germaphobes? Do they have really bad allergies? Do they have some sort of awful incurable disease that … [Read more...]

Hay Fever Hell Looms on Japan’s Horizon

February 13, 2012 by John 16 Comments

Known colloquially as "kafunsho" (花粉症), allergic rhinitis is one of the most common allergic diseases in Japan. Known to us westerners as hay fever, this epidemic is responsible for sneezes, runny noses, plugged ears, and … [Read more...]