Sneezing, runny nose and watery eyes are all too common symptoms of hay fever.
The season runs from February to April in Japan, and are commonly caused by cryptomeria and Japanese cypress pollens.
These timber trees were planted in large quantities, due to reforestation policies that were made shortly after WWII.
People use antihistamines, nasal spray, eye wash and even anti-pollen glasses, but masks remain the most popular pollen prevention.