Smiling Lessons in Japan as Masks Come Off

Smile training courses are seeing a surge in demand in Japan as masks come off. Keiko Kawano's company, Egaoiku, has seen a more than four-fold jump in demand from last year, with customers ranging from companies seeking more approachable salespeople and local governments looking to improve their residents' well-being. Even before the pandemic, donning a mask in Japan was normal for many during hay fever season and around exams due to concern about getting ill for a key life event. Kawano believes that culturally, Japanese people may be less inclined to smile than Westerners because of their sense of security as an island nation and as a unitary state.