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  • This is Center Gai. Center of Shibuya.

  • A lively and vibrant place that's perfect to take a selfie.

  • But that's so last year.

  • When you come to Tokyo, put your smart phones away,

  • and head to a Purikura photo sticker booth.

  • Look, I took one with my friends, recently.

  • How cool is that?

  • A middle aged dude on a sticker with couple of girls?

  • Not that, The concept.

  • Pro quality photos on a sticker,

  • also digitally sent to your smart phone.

  • This is today's Purikura.

  • And in this episode, we head to Purikura no Mecca.

  • This shop is just off Center Gai on the 2nd and 3rd floor.

  • It's packed with the most modern Purikura booths.

  • Purikura no Mecca also has props you can use

  • to enhance your experience.

  • Let's go a step further.

  • Like in any photo shoot, you need to look your best.

  • And this place has a dressing and makeup room.

  • Prepped like a pro.

  • There are lots of Purikura places

  • like this in Harajuku Takeshita Dori.

  • Posters on the walls promote the booths like Hollywood movies.

  • There's always a new machine to try.

  • This is as far as I can go.

  • You see, men are banned when NOT accompanied by a lady.

  • I brought my own ladies with me.

  • Naoko and Azumi recommended this Purikura machine.

  • Pick your photo shoot music and style.

  • This really is more than just taking a photo.

  • Time to enter the photo booth,

  • A big lens camera with a monitor to help position yourself.

  • Soft lighting and flashes around the room.

  • The conditions are perfect.

  • There are so many popular poses.

  • After the photo shoot, we head to the editing booth

  • on another side of the machine.

  • There's a timer here, so you have to move fast.

  • Not long after, the final product arrives.

  • We divided it by cutting the sheet with scissors.

  • The results? Cute!

  • and in some ways, freakishly alien.

  • Super smooth and brightened skin.

  • Freakishly big alien eyes.

  • This isn't what I saw in the mirror this morning.

  • Purikura History Corner.

  • These were the first two machines.

  • Print club 1, and Print club 2

  • No2 was popular when I arrived in Japan in 1998.

  • They created basic sheets of 16 low resolution stickers.

  • Often with a graffic on them.

  • Perfect to remember a fun date.

  • or afterwork drink with co-workers.

  • Simple, and easy.

  • Look how young I used to be.

  • Purikura records history.

  • I talked to Misato from WAO-RYU! TV about her Purikura diary.

  • She has been collecting Purikura stickers since highschool.

  • I didn't ask how long ago that was.

  • but I asked how she started a Purikura diary.

  • Purikura machines have come a long way.

  • The glamour and glitz.

  • It's a way to be someone else for 10 minutes.

  • Be beautiful, be a star!

  • And once again, no boys allowed (alone)

  • Two girls invited me to follow them

  • to get a closer look at Purikura booths.

  • This is a typical Japanese game center,

  • and they chose a stylish booth in the back

  • with loads of makeup enhancement.

  • Cost, 400yen.

  • With this machine, you can take a sample

  • then decide the look you're after.

  • Perfect, or natural beauty.

  • Perfect seems to have a lot of special effects.

  • They go for natural beauty.

  • There are just so many poses for Purikura.

  • Because the camera zooms between full body and close up shots,

  • It suggests poses in case you're not sure.

  • Each shot is timed, so you have to be ready.

  • You can see what it looks like

  • a few seconds after the enhancements are added.

  • Purikura really is an experience.

  • For a few minutes, users feel special.

  • like models at a private photo shoot.

  • When finished, the booths reset,

  • and you have to move to the editing booth on the other side.

  • This process is also timed.

  • so the next group can smoothly move,

  • from shooting booth, editing booth, without delay.

  • Grab your things, and move quickly.

  • The editing booth allows you to customize the photo.

  • Eye size, skin tone.

  • Enter your name, and pick the back ground.

  • Then you can customize each individual photo.

  • It's amazing how fast some girls can navigate these menus.

  • On the back side is the final screen where you choose the layout.

  • You can also enter in your e-mail,

  • where a digital copy sample is sent to your smartphone.

  • About a minute later, your photos have arrived.

  • Today's memory will last a lot longer with this Purikura strip.

  • So when you come to Japan, jump into a Purikura sticker booth.

  • You not only have a great souvenir from Japan,

  • but you have a bunch of stickers, that are really cool.

This is Center Gai. Center of Shibuya.

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