Face masks are ubiquitous ever since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic some three years ago and for some, wearing the thin layer on their face has become part and parcel of their lives.
In fact, some Japanese people have grown too accustomed to wearing face masks that they’ve forgotten how to interact in a social setting without something covering the bottom half of their face.
So much so, that when the Japanese government announced the lifting of its face mask ruling in public, some Japanese citizens decided to take ‘smiling lessons’ to learn how to smile properly again.
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As reported by the Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbun, 37 people, including the elderly took part in a session rehearsing their smiles, held a day before Japan reclassify Covid-19 to a less-severe category similar to the seasonal flu.
Taking place in Tokyo’s Akabane district on 7 May, the session was headed by 49-year-old Keiko Kawano, the smile trainer who served as the instructor.
During the session, participants used hand mirrors to practise their smiles. Since face masks were made no longer mandatory in the country, some citizens even join private “smiling lessons” to get ready for maskless social interactions.
Kawano said that she received requests for lessons 4 to 5 times more this year compared to 2022.
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One participant of the 7 May session stressed that smiles are essential for maskless communications while another said that they want to apply the lessons learned at volunteer activities and other gatherings.
So, what do you guys think of these “smiling lessons”? Have you grown accustomed to not wearing a face mask publicly since the relaxation of Covid-19 rules in our country?
Share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comments!
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