When people in Japan buy masks, then typically shop at drug stores, purchasing disposable ones. But increasingly, clothing retailers have been offering washable ones and now there’s even a mask specialty store that just sells masks.
This week Mask.com opened in Tokyo, selling over 200 different types of masks for prices ranging from 500 yen (under $5) to even an eye-watering 100,000 yen (under $940). Mask.com also launched an online store as well.
マスク専門店？税別500円から10万円（スワロフスキー）までの商品200種類。そしてマスクコンセルジュもいるって😳 こんな世の中になってしまった💧 pic.twitter.com/sFlaLhEajo
— yochan58th🍀 (@famloveyochan) September 8, 2020
Specialty shops aren’t that unusual in Japan and masks were already popular in the country. But with the increasing demand during the pandemic, a mask shop seems overdue.
一枚10万円のマスクなんて、怖くて使えんのだが(´Д｀；)
しかし、マスク専門店か……。
恒久的な需要があればって話なんだけど(*´ー｀*)💦 pic.twitter.com/GG7dzwp71l— ずわるぅ🌸↩️🍥💛 (@AQUA43287250) September 8, 2020
https://twitter.com/embed/status/1304338292167516160
Apparently, the bricks-and-mortar shop has been drawing lines, which brings back memories of earlier this year in Japan when mask shortages caused people to line up in front of drugstores.
話題の八重洲のマスク専門店、並ばないと入れません。 pic.twitter.com/ONo7OtcHen
— やすくん (@yasunarit2001) September 10, 2020
