Subculture
In Japan, there is the concept of "hikimori" - these are young people who practically do not leave their homes and do not have contact with the outside world. They are asocial, live with their parents even at a fairly mature age (sometimes even at thirty or forty years old), and all their communication is limited to a couple of phrases with a loving mother who feeds breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Hikimori may not go out for months, and if this happens, then they cannot do without a mask. Such people have already formed a subculture, however, even within it they do not communicate. The social problem of hikimori has been on the rise in Japan in recent years and is causing serious concern among psychologists.
hikimori room
Allergy
From the end of February to the beginning of March, a difficult time begins for people suffering from seasonal fever. For several months, until May-June, plants continue to bloom in cities and villages, pollen spreads throughout the area and does not allow allergy sufferers to live in peace, of which there are a lot in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Red eyes, runny nose, itching are the most harmless signs of an allergic reaction.Surprisingly, even foreigners who have lived in Japan for a while but have never had a fever can experience similar symptoms.
This trend has opened the door to new business - many pharmaceutical companies have begun to produce special, anti-allergic masks instead of conventional disposable surgical masks.
They are made of dense cotton material, and the gauze part, which protects against pollen, can be replaced with a new one, which makes the innovative masks reusable.
Why do young Japanese women wear diapers?
Diapers are primarily used by sick or elderly people, but in Japan there has recently been a movement of young girls, less often boys, who use adult diapers for no apparent reason to wear them all the time. This social phenomenon has several meanings and origins.
Diapers instead of a toilet at work
Because there is a cult of work in Japan, where millions of men and women work without holidays, there is a high competition for employment. Thus, young Japanese women came up with the idea of optimizing working time by putting on diapers so as not to break away from the work process. This saves time that would otherwise be spent going to the bathroom. So the girls relieve themselves without leaving the workplace, but when they leave the office or production, they take off the diaper. Many employers appreciate such sacrifices by rewarding employees for their service with career advancement.
Japanese women wear diapers to save time for work
The movement became so popular that not only girls, but also men began to join it. The enterprising Japanese, who noticed modern trends, launched an expanded production of adult diapers of various types. On the shelves of Japanese pharmacies and shops you can find classic, ultra-thin and even reusable. There are also separate models for women and men, which take into account the anatomical features of the sexes.
ABDL fetish
In Japan, a fetish culture called ABDL has formed, which stands for adult baby diaper lovers, that is, "adult children who love diapers." This is a role-playing process that uses not only diapers, but also other devices designed for babies (rattles, powders, diapers and baby clothes). This is a kind of game in which one person is a baby, and the second person plays the role of mom or dad. Such interactions have a therapeutic process and help restore the disturbed sense of basal love and security. An ABDL relationship can also be sexual in nature, but it doesn't have to be.
Adult diapers can be role-playing as part of an ABDL fetish
Not so long ago, a fashion for wearing diapers instead of underwear was born in Japan. They are used by girls and boys in order not to be distracted during work and not to waste time going to the toilet. And also these personal care products can be used as an accessory in role-playing games, which is common among Japanese youth.
new trend
Japanese media reports that wearing adult diapers is becoming more and more popular, especially among women who want to save time.
The Japanese magazine SPA talks about this in their article titled "The Ultimate Form of Laziness". They describe women adopting masculine habits who don't like to clean the house, aren't used to shaving their hair, and prefer to wear adult diapers.
One 25-year-old woman, who did not want to reveal her name, went to work in a real estate agency in diapers almost every day for the past six months. She resorted to this to save time and once again not to run to the toilet. Of course, she doesn't wear them when she's dating her boyfriend, and only wears them with a skirt because she's afraid they'll show up with pants.
It turns out that this young Japanese woman is not alone at all. Adult diaper sales surpassed baby diaper sales in Japan for the first time in May this year. Most of the users of this product are the rapidly increasing elderly population in Japan. Thus, the number of people who need adult diapers is growing rapidly.
As Bloomberg reports, many suppliers of adult diapers, in particular the Vashé Zdorovye chain of stores, are rushing to carve out a niche in this rapidly developing market.
Japan is also striving to innovate in this area.
In 2008, diaper manufacturers held the world's first adult diaper fashion show. And used diapers can now be crushed, dried and sterilized for later use as fuel pellets. for heating boilers.
What are adult diapers
Adult diapers are a personal hygiene product designed for those people who cannot control the process of bowel movements on their own or have movement restrictions. This tool is a medical product that is sold in pharmacies or specialized stores. Functionally, it has the form of panties with Velcro, which fix the diaper at the waist. Inside the hygiene product there is a filler, which, when liquid gets on it, adsorbs it, turning it into a homogeneous gel, preventing leaks. At its core, adult diapers are no different from children's diapers except for size.
Weakened immunity
People who know the weaknesses of their body wear masks all the time. So they protect themselves from bacteria and viral diseases.
There is a reason for this approach - in Tokyo, for example, there are over thirty million inhabitants, and with such a population density, the chances of getting sick increase incredibly. Therefore, the best treatment, they say, is prevention.
During epidemics of colds, every second person wears medical masks. Together with vaccinations and a combination of antiviral pills, this is the best way not to get infected. In addition, the fewer people who get sick, the less the disease will spread and the faster the epidemic will end.
Hiding feelings and abstracting from others
Another psychological reason is the reluctance to show people their emotions. This may be a general depressed or, conversely, elated mood, or it may be an attitude of dislike for a particular person.
Curiously, some workers wear masks even in the office.Psychologists say that in this way they hide the true attitude towards superiors, colleagues and subordinates, the accumulated emotional stress and fatigue from work.
Also in modern cities, especially in metropolitan areas, many people try to isolate themselves from strangers, unnecessary questions, for example, from sales assistants, and contacts with unfamiliar people. Then they put on masks, and some also wear headphones.
A Japanese firm has launched new masks purporting to promote weight loss. They are equipped with fragrances and have a design of the corresponding color. The color scheme and aroma, according to the manufacturer, stimulates the metabolism and thus brings the figure in order.
Disease
Initially, masks were worn exclusively by those people who had a cold, SARS, flu and other diseases transmitted by airborne droplets.
The Japanese are big workaholics, and missing even one working day, even during a serious illness, is a real disaster for them. In addition, taking sick leave is very unprofitable - you can lose a large amount from your salary.
The Japanese are distinguished by high social responsibility, and the interests of the team are often put above personal ones. They understand that during illness they are carriers of germs that can remain everywhere: on handrails, seats, doors, household items. Therefore, endangering others is not at all Japanese.
