Traveling and snapping photos with stuffed animal companions in various locations has become a popular hobby among young people.
Although the coronavirus outbreak has made taking excursions difficult, a hobby like this can be enjoyed even when just going out for a walk or from the comforts of home.
Beginning about three years ago, Misuzu Ozawa, a 22-year-old part-time worker in Tachikawa, Tokyo, has traveled around with the stuffed version of her favorite picture-book characters and her cat, all the while taking their pictures against the backdrop of the nearby beautiful scenery.
She has posted photos from her visits to the Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Prefecture, Nagoya Castle and Miyajima island in Hiroshima Prefecture on Instagram.
"I don't like posting photos of myself, but I also don't feel that it's enough to just post ordinary landscape photos," she said. "But, with the stuffed animals, the photos will not only look cute but also stand out in my memory."
Amid the pandemic, Ozawa currently takes photos featuring her toys and her pet dog at home.
The hobby -- given the name "nui-dori" in Japanese, which is a portmanteau of nuigurumi (stuffed animals) and dori (taking photos) -- has been popular for about four or five years now, rising in popularity along with that of social media. Items related to the hobby are on sale.
In April 2017, T-ARTS Co. released "Chokkori-san," a stuffed toy series created exclusively for nui-dori. There are about 300 different kinds in total, including those of popular anime and Disney characters, and 2 million units have been sold so far.
The 13-centimeter-tall toys are posed in such a way that they appear to be sitting down with their hands on their laps, allowing them to do things such as sitting on the rim of a cup or holding tiny items.
There are also tools to help take great photos. Zyplus based in Kashihara, Nara Prefecture, which carries many innovative products released in January the "Nui-shotto" (1,738 yen including tax), a 25-centimeter-long arm that attaches to smartphones and holds a stuffed animal in place to get a good shot. The arm allows you the use of both hands to take photos.
The idea was contributed by a 30-year-old female employee of the company, who is nui-dori photographer herself. Because she has often found it difficult to hold a stuffed animal in one hand while using the other to operate the camera on her smartphone.
-- Nuidori for novices
Yuriline and her sister Goya are nui-dori experts who provide tips online on taking such pictures while bringing out their charm.
They recommend using stuffed toys about 10 centimeters in size, which can sit upright by themselves because of their "portability and make great companions when taking photos with food," according to Yuriline.
It is also fun to try coming up with a story for the photos, such as having the toy appear to hungrily look at dishes.
Coasters and pot stands are especially useful for an outdoor shoot because they keep the toy away from dirt and also give it a stylish look. Another fun idea is to have the toy carry a small bag as if it came prepared for the trip as well.
Many people debate whether the camera's focus should be on the toy or the background.
"If you want to focus on the scenery, taking a picture of your stuffed toy from behind as it gazes at the scenery is a cute idea," Goya said. "You can also have your toy face the camera when taking a souvenir shot. The angles you use in your pictures are up to you."
When doing nui-dori, you have to keep good manners in mind and try not to get so absorbed in your hobby that you get in the way of pedestrians.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
