Photo Booths in Japan
Unlike France where photo booths are used solely for ID photos, in Japan photo booths are an institution for taking fun photos with friends.
Unlike France where photo booths are used solely for ID photos, in Japan photo booths are an institution for taking fun photos with friends.
You can snap photos of yourself with your friends in quirky and bizarre settings, and on top of that you can add special effects and original transformations using optical pens (watch out—you have limited time, so you need to work fast!).
It costs around 1 or 2 euros, and it leaves you with an original and fun souvenir from Japan.
These photo booth cabins are often found in shopping centers or in the manga district.
Frequently asked questions
Purikura (プリクラ) is the Japanese name for photo booths. Unlike Western photo booths used for ID photos, purikura allows you to take fun photos with friends, add special effects, backdrops and hand-drawn decorations using optical pens.
A purikura session typically costs between 1 and 2 euros (approximately 200 to 400 yen depending on the machine and number of photos). The price may vary depending on the booth chosen and available options.
Purikura cabins are mainly found in shopping centers, shopping arcades, and lively districts like Akihabara in Tokyo (manga and video game district), Shibuya, Harajuku or in game arcades.
Enter the cabin with your friends, choose a backdrop or setting, take your photos within a limited time, then personalize them with special effects and drawings using optical pens on the touch screen. The photos are then printed as small stickers to share.
Yes, most machines offer an English-speaking interface or are intuitive enough to use without speaking Japanese. It is advisable to have coins or small bills ready, as many machines only accept cash.
