<p>Some people in Japan reportedly became so used to wearing face masks during the COVID pandemic that they are taking classes to teach them how to smile again.</p>
<p>Instructor Keiko Kawano said that students in her classes hold mirrors up to their faces and use their hands to stretch their mouths up and outward, forcing themselves to smile.</p>
<p>Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japanese-get-trained-hollywood-smiles-masks-slowly-come-off-2023-06-05/?utm_source=ground.news&amp;utm_medium=referral">reported</a> that Kawano has seen an uptick in demand at her business Egaoiku, which means &#8220;smile education,&#8221; for her smile classes now that the pandemic is over. Mask use in Japan was nearly universal during the pandemic, the report said.</p>
<p>&#8220;Culturally, a smile signifies that I&#8217;m not holding a gun and I&#8217;m not a threat to you,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I think there&#8217;s a growing need for people to smile.&#8221;</p>
<p>A 20-year-old student who took the class said, &#8220;I hadn&#8217;t used my facial muscles much during COVID so it&#8217;s good workout for my face.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;When you are alone at home, it&#8217;s normal not to be facially expressive,&#8221; Kawano told German broadcaster DW News. &#8220;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.&#8221;</p>
<p>Students use tablets with apps installed that help them regain their smiles. The app captures their smile and gives them a score.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Did COVID mask restrictions make you forget how to smile? A course in Japan helps one rediscover that old pre-pandemic grin 🙂 <a href="https://t.co/HIlKuByfbe">pic.twitter.com/HIlKuByfbe</a></p>
<p>&mdash; DW News (@dwnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/dwnews/status/1665680760869625856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p>A 79-year-old who took the class said it has proven to be valuable.</p>
<p>“I didn’t have opportunities to see people during the coronavirus crisis and didn’t smile in public,” she <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/16/grin-and-bare-it-as-mask-mandates-end-japan-turns-to-tutors-to-relearn-how-to-smile">said</a>. “This has reminded me of how important smiling is.”</p>
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<p>Kawano said that she tries to convey to students that it does not matter how they feel on the inside because &#8220;a smile is only a smile if it’s conveyed.&#8221;</p>
<p>“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.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

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People In Japan Are Signing Up For Classes To Teach Them How To Smile After Wearing Masks For Too Long