A Japanese laundry service is gaining viral attention for its spa-like cleaning treatment for stuffed toys, from teddy bears to Pikachu plushies.
At Cleaning Yonmarusan in Yamanashi, cleaning expert Masakazu Shimura carefully hand-washes, steams and brushes soft toys using delicate fabric-care techniques. Videos of the process have become popular on social media, attracting customers from around the world.
The company now cleans more than 10,000 plush toys each year, far more than a decade ago, as younger generations embrace plushie culture and sentimental keepsakes.
Many customers see the toys as family members and sometimes request that scratches or marks be preserved because of their emotional value.