Masks

Seeing people wearing a white surgical mask is a common sight in Japan. People who have a slight cold, or do not want to risk catching a cold, can be seen with one of these masks that covers the whole of the mouth and part of the nose and is attached with elasticated string behind the ears. In times when flu is doing the rounds (it usually hits at some point in the winter months causing school classes, and even whole schools, to close for a few days) the masks are well on display. It's always a challenge for us to try to understand someone speaking Japanese behind a mask - it can be hard enough at the best of times! Recently we heard of a new trend in mask-wearing which has nothing to do with keeping clear from bugs or spreading your own. Some people are wearing (or perhaps it should be hiding behind) masks simply to give them a sense of security. Designer masks are now also in vogue. Some use the masks to hide what they feel they don't want others to see on their faces. There was a story of a high school girl who resorted to wearing a mask after being teased about being ugly. However, she was in time able to kick the habit by coming to the realisation that masks can conceal the face but not the heart. One of the discoveries we made early on in our time in Japan is that what you see on the surface is not necessarily the same as what lies underneath. That can apply in many ways from words spoken (or not spoken) to facial expressions to the way the dynamics work in a meeting or group setting. The trend of mask-wearing (for non-health reasons) seems to take that to yet another dimension.