I am living in Japan during one of the strangest times in recent history. While spending this time here, I’ve integrated with a society that has dealt with the pandemic for over a year now. Ever since the start of 2020, the government has asked its residence to take precautions. Key word, “asked”, because the Japanese government has yet to demand anything from its residents, but instead only requests that people follow the guidelines in place. Masks Mask-wearing has been practiced by nearly everyone. I have been wearing one every day at work since last April. Usually, people will not take off their masks when speaking to each other and the most common type is the non-reusable paper mask. It is often thrown away after a few uses. Social Distancing Social distancing has been largely ignored. Being that much of the population relies on trains and stations, there have been incredibly crowded spaces during my commutes each day. Restaurants are operating at a smaller capacity with reduced ho