© 2025 Boise State Public Radio
NPR in Idaho
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Protect my public media

Why are people in Japan getting lessons in how to smile?

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Leila Fadel. Maybe you've been here. You're walking down the street, you make eye contact with someone, and after having worn a mask for so long, you forget to smile. Well, people in Japan are getting lessons in how to smile again. Classes start with stretching to relax, then the practice of moving different muscles in the face to relearn how to smile without looking too awkward. Or you could work in radio, and nobody knows what your face is doing. I promise, I'm smiling. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

You make stories like this possible.

The biggest portion of Boise State Public Radio's funding comes from readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

Your donation today helps make our local reporting free for our entire community.