Purikura Evolution

Purikura is a widely used name of a photo sticker booth in Japan and is a shorten name of "print club."

Purikura

Multiple customers can enter the above booth to take a photo.

There are several options to be chosen before a photo is taken.

And after a photo is taken, the customers can also customize the picture on a touch screen, for example, by selecting background, decoration, changing angle, sparkling eyes, and many more.

Photo options

The complete picture comes out of the booth machine in multiple in a sticker sheet.

People, particularly teen girls, trade a piece of the photo sticker and put it on the purikura note.

Purikura note "puri-cho"

Purikura first came out to the Japan market during 90s and has gone through a few phases of boom.

Purikura was exported to other countries, and I heard it got popular in many Asian countries but could not attract European countries.

The booth is becoming much bigger than an original, and a machine itself is getting very complicated with many new options.

It is now said that the current popularity in Japan is much lower than one in 90s.  However, purikura seems to be one of an important communication tools among young Japanese and to be supported by the young.  I don't think it's not a temporary boom in Japan but has a stable position like karaoke as a part of Japanese sub-culture.

Follow TA Tokyo

Free Kanji Translation (English)

Free Kanji Translation (Russian)