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| Coach Keiko Kawano teaches students during a smile training course at Sokei Art School in Tokyo, Japan. (Source: Reuters) |
In Keiko Kawano's class, more than 10 students from an art school in Tokyo are moving their mouth muscles upward with their fingers, holding mirrors in their hands. They are practicing smiling.
Laughter teaching services like Ms. Kawano's are on the rise in Japan, especially in the post-Covid-19 era, when most people wear masks.
“When you are alone at home, it is normal to not express your face. And just like that, not moving your face becomes a habit. I think there have been many cases like that during the Covid-19 pandemic. By attending classes, you will meet more people, you will have more opportunities to interact, so your life will be more colorful and you will be happier. A smiling face means happiness, that is the concept,” Keiko Kawano said, according to Reuters .
Young people may have gotten used to life wearing masks, Kawano said, because women may find it easier to go out without makeup and men can hide the fact that they haven't shaved.
Student Himawari Yoshida, 20, who is taking the class to prepare for the job market, said she needs to improve her smile: “I haven’t used my facial muscles much during Covid-19, so taking the class is a good exercise.”
Kawano’s company, Egaoiku, which means “smile education,” offers online and in-person lessons on how to create the perfect smile. Clients include students, employees of private companies and local governments. Since the Japanese government downgraded the risk level of Covid-19 to that of seasonal flu, course enrollment has skyrocketed. The company now has about 3,000 customers across Tokyo, and a one-on-one lesson for an hour costs 11,000 yen ($80).
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| “Laughter classes” are gaining popularity in Japan in the post-Covid-19 era. (Source: Reuters) |
The "Hollywood Smile Technique" method, which is copyrighted by Egaoiku, includes: the "crescent moon" smile, the "dimple" smile, and the perfect smile - shaping the mouth to reveal exactly 8 teeth. Students participating in the class can rate their smiles on a 100-point scale through special facial recognition software.
Although the Japanese government lifted its mask-wearing recommendation in March 2023, many people continue to wear them. An opinion survey by public broadcaster NHK in May found that 55% of Japanese said they still wore masks as often as they did two months earlier, and only 8% said they had stopped wearing masks.
Wearing masks was common in Japan even before the pandemic. People wore them during allergy season and students often wore them when taking school exams. Wearing masks for nearly three years during Covid-19 has affected the ability to smile in public.
Smiling and nonverbal communication through facial expressions are important in Japanese culture. Smiling is considered a part of politeness and comfort in everyday interactions. However, when people have to cover their faces to comply with restrictions, such as wearing masks, smiling becomes difficult.
This can create a sense of alienation and difficulty in communication because of the inability to see each other's facial expressions. Happy facial expressions or signs of agreement through smiling become unclear. This can create a communication environment that lacks intimacy and makes it difficult to convey emotions.
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