The New York Times reported that Japanese people who have returned to their daily lives after removing their masks are looking for and listening to lectures by ‘Smile Coach’ in order to have a natural smile.
On the 15th (local time), the New York Times of the United States reported through an interview with Japan’s ‘Smile Coach’ Keiko Kawano that Japanese people who were accustomed to wearing masks during the pandemic deliberately visit and listen to lectures to smile well after the obligation to wear masks is lifted.
Kawano, a former radio presenter, said that she decided to learn how the facial muscles work after she struggled with lifting the corners of her mouth. After learning how to smile better, she says she helps others to smile easier under the motto “More smiles, more happiness.”
Before the pandemic, she said, she had spoken to people who wanted to learn how to smile better to get a better job or increase their chances of getting married. In Japan, lectures on smiling have existed for a long time, targeting service workers.
At the beginning of the lecture, she gave a lecture to company employees and families at IBM’s Japanese branch, etc., and said that demand for lectures soared after the Corona 19 pandemic. This comes after the Japanese government announced in February that it was drastically relaxing its official mask-wearing recommendations. She said that the education curriculum was modified for those who have become difficult to make facial expressions as wearing a mask has become routine.
“I started to realize that people didn’t use much of their cheekbones or muscles around the mouth (by wearing a mask during the pandemic),” Kawano said. “Suddenly, you can’t use your muscles freely. do,” he said. Her lecture, which lasts about an hour, focuses on strengthening the cheek muscles that pull the corners of the mouth. “People train their body muscles, but not their facial muscles,” she added.
In October of last year, a 90-minute lecture on smiling by Kawano was given to 40 seniors in Kanagawa Prefecture as part of a public health program. Katsuyo Iwahashi, who is in charge, said, “Through this program, the elderly have been able to smile better,” and added, “Especially after the pandemic, we plan to provide additional programs for parents who are concerned about their children’s facial expressions.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.