In reply to jwi:
Oh yes, small point of correction:
blowing your nose in public is not bad manners. It's a sandbag, perpetuated by those consultants that earn a crust advising businessmen on cultural differences. The Japanese
do find large protuberant gaijin noses a great source of amusement, which would be accentuated by a trumpeting nose-blow, but they are not offended as such.