Impatient Idealist

My sister once told me that in many contexts in Japan, huge smelly farts in public were much more socially acceptable than a sneeze, presumably because the farts are filtered, and/or aren't seen to be illness conveyances. (I haven't asked her lately, she's had gradually more experience with Japan over time, first as a student, and off and on over the years as a cross-cultural emissary for a couple of different companies.)