Japanese people are taking smile classes due to prolonged mask-wearing.

Japanese Take Smile Classes to Relearn Facial Expressions After Pandemic

Wearing face masks during the COVID pandemic has become a norm in Japan. However, some people have become so used to wearing masks that they are taking classes to relearn how to smile again. Keiko Kawano, the instructor at Egaoiku, which means “smile education,” teaches her students how to stretch their mouths up and outward, forcing themselves to smile.

According to Reuters, Kawano has seen an uptick in demand for her smile classes now that the pandemic is over. Mask use in Japan was nearly universal during the pandemic, the report said. “Culturally, a smile signifies that I’m not holding a gun and I’m not a threat to you,” she said. “I think there’s a growing need for people to smile.”

Regaining Smiles with Apps and Mirrors

Students use tablets with apps installed that help them regain their smiles. The app captures their smile and gives them a score. A 20-year-old student who took the class said, “I hadn’t used my facial muscles much during COVID so it’s good workout for my face.”

When you are alone at home, it’s normal not to be facially expressive,” Kawano told German broadcaster DW News. “If this is the case, then not moving (parts of) your face becomes the norm. I think there were a lot more such cases during the COVID pandemic.”

Did COVID mask restrictions make you forget how to smile? A course in Japan helps one rediscover that old pre-pandemic grin 🙂 pic.twitter.com/HIlKuByfbe

— DW News (@dwnews) June 5, 2023

A 79-year-old who took the class said it has proven to be valuable. “I didn’t have opportunities to see people during the coronavirus crisis and didn’t smile in public,” she said. “This has reminded me of how important smiling is.”

Conveying Smiles to the Audience

Kawano said that she tries to convey to students that it does not matter how they feel on the inside because “a smile is only a smile if it’s conveyed.” “Even if you’re thinking about smiling or that you’re happy, if you have no expression, it won’t reach your audience,” she added.