For those nostalgic for the sights and smells of Japan, or even those who just plain love GIFs, is the site 1041uuu.tumblr.com.

The author of this tumblr site has taken GIFing (yes, it is officially recognised as a verb now) to the next level, with gorgeously illustrated 8-bit animations, which beautifully capture daily life in Japan.

For those who have somehow managed to navigate the internet while remaining ignorant of GIFs and what they actually are, here’s some information to help:

GIF is an acronym for Graphics Interchange Format. It is another format in which you can save and transfer images. (.jpeg or .doc would be an example of a format.)

They were created by CompuServe in 1987, and have increased in popularity of late due to the fact that the .GIF format can support animation and short video clips.

Most GIFs appear as memes – used to spread cultural “in-jokes” or references. In this case, however, they have been used to subtle and beautiful effect by the author.

We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

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