I feel pretty silly asking this question but it's really bugging me. I'm going to Japan, alone, for two weeks or so in June. I am trying to make this a very Japanese experience, and I have been trying to pay careful attention to etiquette rules.

My problem is that my nose tends to run any time I eat anything hot, whether that means spiciness or temperature. I know not to blow my nose in public, but what are my options? I can't get up from the table every two minutes. Do I just sit there sniffing every ten seconds for forty-five minutes to an hour? May I discreetly (and silently) wipe my nose with my napkin or something from time to time? Or am I just going to have to eat nothing but cold food and, worse, do without wasabi for the whole time I'm there?

What's the Japanese way?

Thanks for putting up with my silly question.

Sniffing is OK here.

Spicy food is not that common.

Sniff or go to the bathroom and blow.

What 'is' the Japanese problem with having a good old blow in public? I mean if you have a cold or hay-fever in my case you need to blow no matter who's next to me... I don't want to sound like the average English person and sound rather impolite and all, but it just nagging me when I started to read to post, so if anyone can answer that would be grand!

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