With the final New Year's celebrations of the Heisei Era approaching, a famous game arcade in Saitama Prefecture has installed a claw machine with prizes that are likely to give customers nostalgic feelings of earlier years in Emperor Akihito's reign.
The prizes include a virtual pet similar to the once mega-popular Tamagotchi and some ultrasmall illustrated books attached to keychains. Customers can play the game for ¥100 per try.
"I hope everybody will enjoy playing while looking back at the era at the same time," said Naoya Igarashi, manager of Game Center Everyday in Gyoda.
The machine will be in operation until the prizes run out or the end of April, the arcade said.
The store in Gyoda has the distinction of holding the record for having the most claw games in a single arcade, as recognized by Guinness World Records in 2012.
The government is planning to announce the name of the country's new era before the ascension of Crown Prince Naruhito to the Imperial Throne on May 1.
