The Masked Bandits

One of the first peculiar things that I noticed upon arriving in Japan is the people wearing masks. On the trains, in the streets, in the office...you see people wearing these masks. Instead of asking someone and risking seeming silly...I assumed that they were for protection against pollution. But, a few weeks later I concluded that pollution couldn't be the reason so I asked. The masks are what people wear when they're sick - to protect themselves and others from passing on the coughing, sneezing and other similar symptoms....
Apparently, I wasn't the only one surprised and confused by the abundance of masks...my mother also asked about them when she came for a visit. I wore my mask to work yesterday, not because I was sick, but because I wanted to try it out. And can I just say that they are as uncomfortable as they look...lol