Then and now: purikura

When I first came to Japan in 2000, purikura was huge. Twenty six years later and it still is! Moreover, when I first came to Japan in 2000, I often used purikura machines and 26 years later and I still do! However, not as frequently as I did when I first came to Japan. 

Purikura (プリクラ) are photo‑sticker booths found in arcades, shopping malls, and entertainment centers across Japan. You step inside with friends, take a series of fun photos, and then decorate them on a touchscreen with digital pens, stamps, borders, and effects. The decoration is what makes them different from a regular photo booth. At the end, after decorating, the machine prints the images as small stickers you can keep, trade, or stick on your phone, notebook, or diary.

For many teens and young adults in Japan, purikura is a social ritual: a way to mark a day out, celebrate a friendship, or capture a moment in a playful, low‑pressure way. As an adult now, I use the machines with my family for similar reasons. I introduced purikura to my children when they were small. They loved it then and they still love it now. Moreover, now they are much better and quicker than I am at decorating the photos! 

What has changed in 26 years? The price for one! They are naturally more expensive now than they were when I first came to Japan. I think they were around 200 yen in 2000, but now they are usually around 500 yen. The other big change over the years is the option to get the photos sent to you digitally. That didn't exist in my early days in Japan.