You will see lots of people wearing medical-style facemasks – on trains, in the street, inside shops, everywhere.
Even before the COVID pandemic, facemasks were common in public. And now, they may not be as common as during the pandemic, but are still often seen.
Facemasks are socially acceptable, and even socially demanded of people who are (slightly) sick and may be carriers and spreaders of contagious diseases such as colds or flu.
So they are worn to
- stop spreading disease to other people
- for self-protection (to stop catching an air-borne disease)
- to alleviate the effects of pollen and seeds on hay-fever sufferers (a very common reason in certain seasons)
- to hide your face (shyness)
- to stop people bothering you (combined with earphones, to tune out the world)
You can buy face-masks quite cheaply at any pharmacy. They’re usually white only though occasionally I’ve seen some ‘artistic’ ones. And I, a foreign tourist, have worn them on occasion to stop hay-fever.
Japan Tourist Tips 