Serpo
28th January 2011, 01:02 PM
By Danielle Demetriou in Tokyo 7:00AM GMT 28 Jan 2011
The culture of wearing disposable facemasks to help prevent the spreading of flu germs is widespread among Japanese commuters and office workers, particularly during the winter months.
However, a growing number of teenagers are wearing the cotton masks, some from the moment they awake until they go to bed, sparking concerns that they are using them in order to retreat from society.
Yohei Harada, an analyst specialising in youth trends at Hakuhodo Inc, the advertising agency, told the Telegraph: ““A few years ago, very few teenagers wore masks. But many wear them today and the numbers are increasingly very rapidly.
”The reason is that these teenagers are looking for something to hide behind. They are constantly having to communicate with friends via SMS and emails and this is making them so tired that it is a relief to wear a masks. It is a way to hide their feelings.”
The streets of Harajuku, a colourful mecca for young teenagers in central Tokyo, are filled daily with crowds of young teenagers accessorising their fashionable fur jackets and boots with white face masks.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/8287767/Medical-masks-become-new-trend-for-shy-Japanese-teenagers.html
The culture of wearing disposable facemasks to help prevent the spreading of flu germs is widespread among Japanese commuters and office workers, particularly during the winter months.
However, a growing number of teenagers are wearing the cotton masks, some from the moment they awake until they go to bed, sparking concerns that they are using them in order to retreat from society.
Yohei Harada, an analyst specialising in youth trends at Hakuhodo Inc, the advertising agency, told the Telegraph: ““A few years ago, very few teenagers wore masks. But many wear them today and the numbers are increasingly very rapidly.
”The reason is that these teenagers are looking for something to hide behind. They are constantly having to communicate with friends via SMS and emails and this is making them so tired that it is a relief to wear a masks. It is a way to hide their feelings.”
The streets of Harajuku, a colourful mecca for young teenagers in central Tokyo, are filled daily with crowds of young teenagers accessorising their fashionable fur jackets and boots with white face masks.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/8287767/Medical-masks-become-new-trend-for-shy-Japanese-teenagers.html