Japan Travelogue Series: Purikura

Kawaii means cute, lovable, or adorable in Japanese. The kawaii phenomenon has become an important factor in defining Japanese culture. It has influenced Japanese entertainment, pop culture, toys, food and clothing, and at times even the appearance and behavior of people.

Purikura (プリクラ) is a popular form of the modern photo booth that has hit Japan and the United States too. Instead of the usual images printed on photo paper, purikura images are printed on sticker paper with an array of designs to choose from.

Photo courtesy of KCP student, Shenelle King

History of purikura

The term “purikura” is a shortened term from the Japanese registered trademark Purinto Kurabu (プリント倶楽部) and means “print club” in English. Purikura originated from the Japanese video game arcade industry. The idea was conceived by Sasaki Miho in 1994, inspired by photo stickers. She pitched her idea to Atlus, a Japanese game company where she worked. The company then developed the idea with Sega and finally introduced Print Club, the first purikura. Printing Club became Japan’s most successful arcade game in the non-video game category during the mid 1990’s.

The purikura experience

Purikura (pronounced as poo-ree-koo-rah) machines have become all the rage because of their unique designs. You can decorate pictures using a wide variety of choices, from out-of-this-world wacky to girly flowers and hearts. The machines are big enough to fit 4 to 6 people, adding to the fun.  Having your picture taken with a bunch of your friends and choosing a design to complement your images will create memories you can treasure for many years to come. Much like a printed kawaii selfie, purikura is like an arcade video game morphed with a photo booth.

Other purikura establishments are full blown spaces full of booths that have more room for posing rather than just sitting. There are even various merchandise to complete your purikura experience such as make-up and other costume paraphernalia.