An Aussie in Awa: Purikura

One of my favourite things in Japan would have to be these arcade photobooths that you can find at (just about) every shopping centre. These are called Purikura Booths and you can get souvenir photos from them. For 400\ you and your friends can step inside the booth and have the opportunity to strike between 4-8 poses. The camera will wait roughly 20 seconds between pictures, giving you ample time to organise yourselves and practise your smile.

After you have finished the picture taking, the fun really begins. You head around to a little alcove on the side of the machine where your pictures come up on a screen. You and a friend can use the touchscreen and attached pen to alter, edit and decorate your photographs. You can choose to change the background, add cartoon characters/stars/hearts, write your name or a message in Japanese or English, give each other moustaches/glasses/different coloured hair/hats or giant eyes, and then decide which photos you want to accentuate on the print sheet.

Once you've finished fiddling with your photos onscreen, you have the option of sending a copy to your mobile phone's email address - but you have to be quick, most option screens work on a countdown timer and if you're not done in 30 seconds, too bad!

Finally, your photos will print and each booth usually spits out 2 sets of picture cards for you to take home. Some machines I have been to though allow you to choose how many people require copies, so that everyone can take a sheet home.

Having purikura pictures taken is really popular in Japan and definitely so with my friends. It is common to get visit a purikura booth when you are on holidays, have gone somewhere different or for special occasions. I personally collected purikura when I've holidayed in Osaka, Nagoya, and Sapporo or when I visited Matsuyama, Takamatsu and Kobe with my friends - have a look at a few!