WHAT I LOVE ABOUT JAPAN: purikura

If you’re my friend on Facebook, you might have seen my latest Japanese love in my profile pictures: PURIKURA.

Purikuwhut?
Simply put, they are photo booths. But then cuter and more fun photo boots, with a lot of edit options and as a bonus: the photos are stickers. The name Purikura comes from the English word Print Club. If you would say that in Japanese it would sound something like pu-ri-n-to  ku-ru-bu. As the Japanese have a love for shortening words as much as they can, it became purikura. The booths were introduced in Japan in 1995 and have been immensely popular ever since. Photo sticker booths are also popular in other parts of Asia and apparently you can even find them in the US and Australia.

Why are they fun?
I think most regular photo booths can be fun. I mean, I vividly remember taking silly photos with a girl or boyfriend in my teenage years and having a blast (??). But purikura… man, it takes photo booths to a whooooole 'nother level. First off; taking the photos is fun cause it’s in this bigger booth than we’re used to, with a green screen behind you, tons of lighting and a nice touch screen that shows you photo options, pose suggestions and the actual photos you’re taking. Built-in technology can make your eyes bigger & skin clearer. It doesn't matter if you have a bad hair/face day, purikura is most likely gonna make you look better. Taking the actual photos is quickly done but then you can move on to the even nicer part of purikura: editing the photos. More on that in the tutorial.

How much is it and who uses it?
Usually it’s ¥400 per booth, so around 5$. This gives you up to 4 sets of photos, depending on with how many people you are (but the more sets, the smaller the photos), and about 15-25 minutes of stupid laughter. I think that’s a great deal. As the usual photo booth fun, I’d say it’s most popular with schoolgirls. And after that, just groups of girls in general. But that doesn't mean it’s uncommon to see couples or groups of dudes using it. Fun for everyone!

Where can you find them?
There are independent purikura places all around the city centers, but they are not often obviously signposted. That is, until you know what you need to look for; this is usually just an ad with a big set of purikura-styled photos. Another place where you can often find them, and is a surer shot, is amusement arcades. Again, from the outside it might not be obvious they are there, but just go in and look around. They tend to be in the back of the building or sometimes there’s even a whole floor (basement) dedicated to them. Or just follow a group of giggling girls. Seek and thou shalt find.

How does it work?
Ha get ready for a whole purikura photo tutorial!

Step 1: Grooming & Styling
Essential! Even if the bright lights, technology and editing make you look better, you still gotta make sure you’re looking your cutest. Often there are plenty mirrors provided and in some cases even straighteners, curling irons or blow dryers. I've also seen ones where you can borrow or hire (not sure if it was paid) funny costumes.

Do your hair

Fix your make up

Step 2: Choose a booth & Pay
Choosing one is pretty hard as there are often so many to choose from! Some of them have themes, or a typical photo style; take some time to wander around and pick whatever seems cool. It’s always a little bit of gamble anyway. As stated before, it’s often ¥400, you have to pay in exact change and there are money changing machines provided.

Time to get your (hello kitty) wallet out!

Step 3: Pick your style
Depending on the booth you’re using, you get to choose different things on the touch screen. They may include the style of the photo (cool/kawaii, friends/couple?), the colors of the photos (pastel or vivid?), what size eyes you want to have (normal, slightly bigger, HUGE?), the lighting and the suggested poses.

Choices, choices..

Step 4: Strike a pose!
Poses are suggested and it’s often a lot of fun to actually use those as they’re so silly. They might have some up close photos and some full body shots; again, depending on the booth and style you choose. As a westerner I have found that I/we are often too tall and have to make awkward squats but it doesn't spoil the fun. After the posing, you have to move to a different, smaller, edit booth.

3,2,1...

Move to the edit booth on the right!

Step 5: Edit your heart out
Time to move to the edit booth. You can choose what kind of lay out of the photos you want, how many sets, what photos you want to use, and of course the funnest part; edit the fuck out of your photos! There are Sooo.. Many…  options. You can just draw or write on it but there are also a gazillion of ‘stamps’ with words, symbols and images. You can change the background. You can add hats, bows, hearts, stars, animals, ears, tails, mustaches  glitters, bow-ties or even a complete different outfit. On top of that you can change your actual appearance by changing the colors of your eyes or your hair, or add some lashes or blush.  Depending on how busy it is there is a time limit for the editing; which is good otherwise I could spend hours in the edit booth.

Y SO SRS

Making my eyes blue, adding some lashes. +10 for mystery guest Fox

Step 6: Print & bask in your kawaii glory
Then you pick the amount of pictures you want and the size you want them in. There are options to send them to your phone but that will only work if you have a Japanese smartphone. In just a few moments your pictures are done and the new printed kawaii version of yourself is ready to be laughed at. There are scissors provided to cut them out if you want to, and as they are stickers you can decorate everything with them.

1: photo booth 2: edit booth 3: printing

knip knip

Marveling at all the kawaii

The end result!

These photos were taken by Fox at the purikura basement in Namco Tower near Kawaramachi station in Kyoto.  But don’t be sad when there’s not a booth near you; there are enough online options out there that at least give the same effects.