Generalization obviously, but I almost never see people attempt to cover their mouth when they cough or sneeze, whereas it was more rare to see people *not* cover their mouths where I’m from.
Even before corona, and at the gym where no one wears masks, they still don’t cover their mouths.
I’ve asked my wife about this before and she hates it too, so I know it’s not just me.
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Because they might not be carrying anything to wipe their hands with
You only see people who don’t cover their mouths
Most Japanese people cover their mouths with their hands when coughing or sneezing.
I’ve even seen people pull down their masks to cough and sneeze into their hands… I hate it too
It’s disgusting.
I have to assume they aren’t taught it as children, and the ones that do cover their mouth do so with their hand, which kind of grosses me out. It’s funny because Abe was praised a couple years back for demonstrating “proper etiquette” by coughing into his elbow.
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200306/p2a/00m/0na/031000c
How about the obligatory finger tips under the water? Or my favorite, taking your shoes off at an izakaya, picking at your toes, and then eating without washing your hands.
The gyms are pretty clean. Usually when the old timers let out a little shit while on the leg press machine, they wipe it down. I’m convinced that is why they sit at the machines for so long. They let a little squirt out and are waiting for there to be no one around so they can stand up and shuffle to the changing room.
I’ll add the obligatory… I know a lot of clean Japanese people. Disgusting people are everywhere. You’re just more aware of the nasty ones.
.. Or the fact that 90% of Japanese guys don’t wash their hands after using the toilet? (or just splash few drops of water)
I have never seen any Japanese adults who doesn’t at least try to cover their mouths when they sneeze or coughs… Maybe you’re just unlucky?
I have seen people lower their mask to sneeze, just…. Why?
Because they don’t teach that in health education, and people are too dumb to know better.
i believe this isn’t limited to Japanese people only
Not sure if I particularly noticed this. However ideally you should cough or sneeze into your elbow and not your hands.
I mostly noticed that Japanese men when they sneezd they are LOUD. Like they all sneeze like dads, even in public.
Before covid I saw people covering their mouth with their hands which IMO is much worse. I’d rather they just release it in the air.
I saw a guy either sneeze or cough (don’t remember) all over a train door and there were a bunch of his droplets all over it 🤮
I remember some guy coughed really close to my ice cream. Ate my ice cream nonetheless.
I almost never saw it in America either.
Rate of sneeze coverers I saw from living in 3 different countries were same. Most people covered, some don’t. Japan wasn’t any different.
Why don’t Japanese people wash their hands after making a number 2? Same answer.
You haven’t commuted in Tokyo if a salaryman hasn’t blasted a sneeze on to the top of your head while you are sitting on the train.
I’m more amazed that they manage to make it come out like a weird cough.
I usually see people just bend over and sneeze at the floor
Meh, Aussies on my plane today didn’t either. Hell for that matter I got coughed on and spat at once for just wearing a mask.
There are arseholes here also. I watched a kid take off his mask to sneeze, didn’t want to get it dirty….
Probably for the reason so many “Why Japanese People” posts get allowed.
Hooray for generalizations! Can we do different groups too?
Somehow they make Americans look more sanitary-aware
and that’s something
What you are saying is true, OP.
Side comment: everyone says to cough or sneeze into your elbow. But I don’t understand this. When I do it, it just causes the germs to be spread through the air under my elbow. Like, there’s no way to get every germ and particle into the little crick of my elbow.
Maybe I’m gross but I feel like covering your sneeze with your hands or tissue in your hands then washing your hands immediately is much more effective.
I know I’ll get downvoted for this.
Or when they do it’s directly into their hands rather than their arm….
In general, hygiene is pretty abysmal in Japan and everyone thinks it’s top-notch. That’s part of the problem.
I cover my mouth every time and I am a jap
Hello, china…