Heisei Retro (平成レトロ) is a Japanese aesthetic comprised of trinkets and clutter invoking nostalgia for the Heisei era , which corresponds with 1989 to 2019 in the Gregorian calendar. The term is prevalent across Japanese media, including news, radio, and online platforms. The Heisei era marked a period of social change in Japan, encompassing economic shifts, technological advancement, and the rise of pop culture.

Although the era ended recently, its earlier decades now evoke a sense of retro due to rapid technological evolution, such as the transition from early mobile phones to modern smartphones. Heisei Retro is broad, encompassing items like Tamagotchi , flip phones, low-resolution videos, Walkmans , Game Boys, Pokémon cards, and Gyaru -style fashion accessories, particularly those with cute designs. The influence of 90s Harajuku fashion is a significant component of Heisei Retro, with its legacy evident in later aesthetics.

This retro trend distinguishes itself from Shōwa Retro by its embrace of early digital culture, displaying optimism and futuristic design. Items such as digital cameras, J-pop, and Y2K fashion reflect this period. The resurgence of these items appeals to multiple generations; Millenials and older Gen Z, those who experienced the Heisei era directly feel nostalgia, while younger generations find the retro styles to be novel.

Due to the Heisei Retro boom, there is a phenomenon that once popular products are back in the spotlight.

Flip phones were some of the first mobile phones with integrated internet access and could be highly personalized with downloadable themes. It was highly popular to customize their cases with various gemstones and cabochons, giving birth to "decoden" as a hobby which is still popular to this day.

Tamagotchi is a palm-sized pet raising game released in 1996. In 1997, the year after its release, it entered the top ten of the "New Words and Buzzwords of the Year" category, and two and a half years after its release, it became a huge hit with cumulative sales exceeding 40 million units worldwide. However, in 1998, the boom ended and so did the production for years. In 2004, the target demographic was changed from high school girls to elementary school girls, and the new model featuring a communication function became another hit and continues to be sold even today. Many millennials buy them for their children, nostalgic for the days when they used to play with Tamagotchi themself.

QuickSnap is a disposable film camera that was a big hit in the early Heisei era. Sales peaked in 1997, after which production was slashed as camera-equipped phones became more popular. However, in recent years, the Heisei Retro boom has led to another boom in the Fujicolor QuickSnap. Many people are fascinated by the rough image quality, the retro image, and the analog feel that cannot be emulated.

A profile book is a binder-type notebook in which you collect the profiles of your friends. It is very similar to the friendship books that were popular overseas, with the difference being that individual pages can be removed for trading and collecting various designs. Currently, it is attracting attention again as one of the means of face-to-face communication. The Reiwa version of the profile book is characterized by the addition of unique items such as social media handles and favorite videos.