In response to the prolonged mask-wearing during the Covid-19 pandemic, students in Japan are now seeking “smile education” to regain their social skills, as reported by Mail Online.
According to the article, Keiko Kawano’s company, Egaoiku, has experienced a significant increase in demand for smile instruction since last year. The cost for a one-hour session is 7,700 yen (equivalent to N43,000), and the customers range from companies investing in salespeople to local governments supporting the well-being of their residents.
One of the students, Himawari Yoshida, 20, enrolled in the smile class as part of her school’s curriculum to prepare for the job market. She expressed the need to work on her smile, mentioning that she hadn’t used her facial muscles much during the pandemic. She viewed the class as a good exercise for her facial muscles.
Wearing masks in Japan was already a common practice before the pandemic, especially during hay fever season and exams. Concerns about falling ill during significant life events led many to wear masks. A poll conducted by public broadcaster NHK in May revealed that 55% of Japanese respondents were still wearing masks as frequently as two months prior, with only 8% stating they had completely stopped wearing masks.
During a recent smiling class, approximately a quarter of the art school students kept their masks on. Kawano noted that young people have become accustomed to life with masks. Women may find it easier to go out without makeup, while men can hide the fact that they haven’t shaved.
Kawano, a former radio host who started offering smile lessons in 2017, has also trained 23 others as smiling coaches to spread the technique and benefits of crafting the perfect smile throughout Japan. Her trademarked “Hollywood Style Smiling Technique” focuses on elements such as “crescent eyes,” “round cheeks,” and shaping the mouth to reveal eight upper row pearly whites.
Source dailymail.co.uk
