CONTRIBUTED BY MEREDITH NOVARIO

Here is a photography studio like one you might find in a mall but with racks and racks of costumes from the likes of Snow White to samurais that beckon the kid in you to come out and play. Don’t resist.

This is a chain however I am only aware of the one at the Mihama Jusco. It’s on the second floor and to the left outside of the elevators.

Anyone out there know of other locations? Or maybe you’ve done it yourself and want to give a thumbs up or down.

As a souvenir you might consider getting your child’s picture taken on his or her 100th day known as Okuizome. The ceremony is performed in hopes that the child will never have to worry about food. It is also called Hashi Hajime, Hashi Soroe or Hagatame. Although this may differ slightly by region, the Okuizome usually occurs 100 days after birth when the child starts to eat baby food.

These days many Japanese people wait until their child is about five or six months to feed them solids. Nevertheless, Okuizome, the weaning ceremony, continues to be celebrated on the 100th day, around the third month, perhaps because that marks when solids were traditionally introduced.

While it is not standard to have photographs taken of this ceremony, Alice Studios seems to have a lot of these shots with the little ones all clad in Okinawan gear.

HERE is a link to the inside of the English brochure.

15 COMMENTS

  6. I had a great experience at Studio Alice at the American Village. Maybe too much of a great experience that I spent over $400 for my daughter’s pictures. But it was all worth it. They’re very clean with their stuff. The only thing I wasn’t happy with was the glossy finish on the pictures. If I knew that the glossy finish consist of laminated pictures, I would have chosen matte finish instead.

  7. I took my daughter for the birthday package at 3 yrs old. For about 20000Y I got a collage photo (framed), 2 5 x7s, and 2 8×10 (framed) and 10 wallets. there is a sitting fee of about $30. The birthday package is a great deal as anything you buy comes with 2 8×10 and wallets. We had a wonderful experience and were there about 2 hrs. Love them and will go again in a year.

  8. They charge about Y1050 per 4X6 except if it is a Disney picture then there is an additional charge of Y1000 per picture you want printed. They take care of the costume/makeup/hair/Jewelry. You can pick up your pictures in 1 week and they take Visa. They are awesome and have there price list and everything translated in English for you to read…they also do speak SOME English. They are truly AWESOME! And Japan does not copyright the pictures so I bought 1 of each and had them printed (more from my scan) at the PX on Foster fore Y85 each 🙂 FYI before you enter there store there is a shoe rack so take of shoes…no stroller aloud int he store. They do have a high chair and 2 cribs for you little ones to sit in while you are helping as it is all in the same room 🙂 I can’t rave enough! They did awesome 🙂 Oh at the end of the photo session you view the photos on the computer and pick and choose what you like..you can choose Matte Finnish or Laminate 🙂

  9. Does anyone know the pricing of Studio Alice? I’ve thought about this one several times, but with the language barrier, I want to get all four of my kids in one photo. I’ve checked the website and the brochure, but I still can’t figure out the pricing and when I asked,we were all confused with how many kids in one shot to equal a final total.

  10. Has anyone has any experiences with the casting offices? My daughter seems to be a hit on the island so it may be something I can look into. She is Hispanic, African American and White with Shirley Temple curly hair. Has anyone actually gone, and if so what is the process?

    Thanks!

  12. Casting Office Lona is off of 58 just past Uniqlo – our friend Erin told me about it, and my neighbor took her blonde and blue-eyed kids there and they went INSANE over them. I’ve heard all good things about them. You just show up with your kid(s) and they do pictures and get jobs for him/her/them.

    Casting Office Lona is just past the Uniqlo/100 Yen Plaza center, you keep going southbound on the coastal side of 58 (go right at the split just after Foster) until there is an orange building on the left (sort of inset) take a left there and then continue past Lawson’s on your right. It is right after that Lawson’s on the right hand side of the road with a red sign (it’s a house).

    I do know they usually have more work for younger kids, like under 6 or 7.

  13. I would actually love to know the same thing. I had heard a lot about this before coming but I think it was mostly related to the mainland. My kiddos are 1/4 Japanese and so I thought they might have the right “look” — but then again, maybe it’s the blonde/blue eyed thing that is marketable??

  15. We just took our son to Studio Alice to have his 100th day photos taken. It was a wonderful experience, the are great with kids and the pictures were awesome. We went to the studio next to Toys’r’Us in Awase. The 100 days is a tradition in all major Asian cultures (specifcally for the Chinese, Koreans and Japanese) It came about hundreds of years ago becuase of infant mortality. The Japanese traditionally have a naming ceremony at the hundreds days celebration. Reaching the 100th day shows that the baby has survived the first weeks of life and the party is similar to our baby showers when the community comes and celebrates the child, the child is named and very specific foods are presented. It was woonderful to be able to have our sons hundred days ceremony and follow the traditions here, since he was born here. We had a party that night, after the pictures. We had it at a local resturant with our friends (both American and Local nationals). It is a great way to get immursed in the society here.