Why Japanese are attending smiling lessons
Japan is unmasking, but where's the smile? Japanese individuals are enrolling in smiling sessions to rediscover their smiles after having adopted mask-wearing habits during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Many have come forward and shared that they haven't used their facial muscles in the last three years and have hired personal "smile instructors."
Japan government lifts off COVID-19 mask-wearing advisory
Since 2020, wearing a face mask became universal in Japan, with everyone from children to adults adhering to the advisory. After three long years, the Japanese government finally lifted its recommendation to wear masks in March, leaving it to the citizens if they wish to continue wearing them. However, as many chose to unmask, they realized that they had forgotten how to smile!
The country witnesses a surge in smile instructors
Per Reuters, more than a dozen young school students in Tokyo made their way to Keiko Kawano's Egaoiku (literally meaning "Smile Education") classes. They were seen holding mirrors and stretching their facial muscles using their fingers to learn how to smile again. The company has seen more than a four-fold hike in demand and attendance since 2022.
I hadn't used my facial muscles much during COVID: Student
One of the students attending the smile classes was a 20-year-old girl named Himawari Yoshida who shared that she wanted to rework her smile before applying for jobs. "I hadn't used my facial muscles much during COVID so it's good exercise," she told Reuters. If reports are to be believed, a 60-minute one-on-one session costs 7,700 yen, which is about Rs. 4,500.
'I think there's a growing need for people to smile'
As COVID-19 restrictions in Japan relax, the country is hoping for jobs, travel and tourism, and hospitality markets to thrive. "I think there's a growing need for people to smile," said Kawano during a recent interview. Her "Hollywood Style Smiling Technique" includes making crescent eyes, round cheeks, and "shaping the edges of the mouth to bare eight pearly whites in the upper row."
Students get a score on their smile
Yes, you read that right! The students attending the smiling lessons by Kawano are practicing the technique on a tablet and their smiles are subject to evaluation and scoring. She believes that the Japanese need to communicate more with their smile than just their eyes.
