Pika Pika San Francisco

What is Purikura?

Purikura, a Japanese term based off of "purinto kurabu," or "print club," refers to the current popular Japanese pop culture and art form that takes traditional photobooths to the absolute next level. Starting in 1995, this trend has spread to the rest of Asia.

The experience: in the sedan-sized machine, take a 3-5 minute photo shoot behind 6-8 different green-screen virtual backgrounds. From popping out of a toilet; to riding an elephant; to sporting a sumo body; the possibilities are endless. After taking the photos, patrons go to one of the two "drawing stations" on the other side of the machine. Here patrons can digitally draw on & decorate their photos. Decorations include but are not limited to: changing eye/hair color, eye enhancers, costumes, wigs, pens of all types and colors, stamps, holiday/seasonal decor, etc.!

Our machines are available to rent - from birthday parties to weddings, office parties to conventions. Call us for your quote today!

Photos print out on a 4-by-6 inch sheet with a layout of your choice and they are STICKERS! Cut 'em, stick 'em, rock 'em.

Pika Pika and Our Story

Pika Pika is a local, family-owned business in the Kinokuniya Mall in San Francisco's historic Japantown and greater Western Edition. It all started when Ryan Kimura - a fifth generation San Franciscan, fifth generation multi-ethnic Japanese-American, and community leader - came back from teaching in Japan. In Japan, he noticed the popularity of these sticker pictures among the high school students he worked with. It was in this moment that Kimura realized the importance of bringing these machines to America - to build bridges, to connect San Francisco's Japanese-American community to contemporary Japanese pop culture, to bring the fun to Frisco!

The rest is history. Pika Pika has been featured in numerous blogs, the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Francisco Examiner, Thrillist, and the Bold Italic. In 2011, 7 x 7 featured Pika Pika as one of the "8 Solid First Date Ideas" in San Francisco.