Hikaru Utada's Legacy Through Nine Lenses: 'Science Fiction Tour 2024 Nine Stories' Photobook Set for Worldwide Release this March, an Exclusive Photo Exhibition at New Gallery in Tokyo

HIKARU UTADA'S LEGACY THROUGH NINE LENSES: "SCIENCE FICTION TOUR 2024 NINE STORIES" PHOTOBOOK SET FOR WORLDWIDE RELEASE THIS MARCH AND AN EXCLUSIVE PHOTO EXHIBITION AT NEW GALLERY IN TOKYO

TOKYO, JAPAN – January 8, 2025 – Tokyo-based New Gallery, operated by Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., announces the worldwide release of Hikaru Utada's photobooks NINE STORIES on March 21. This stunning collection documents Hikaru Utada's landmark SCIENCE FICTION TOUR 2024, their first nationwide tour in six years, through the unique perspectives of nine renowned photographers, commemorating 25 years since their debut.

Each photographer interprets one of the nine cities visited on the tour, weaving together a rich tapestry of live performance and musical expression, some of which were shared through the official Hikaru Utada STAFF Instagram account during the 2024. The esteemed photographers—Kazuhei Kimura, Chikashi Suzuki, Mayumi Hosokura, Rinko Kawauchi, Daido Moriyama, John Yuyi, Wing Shya, Takashi Homma, and Rika Noguchi—offer their unique perspectives through a diverse range of creative themes, including "Observation," "Fragments (Part of)," "Physicality," "Radiance," "Relationships," "Self-Projection," "Kaleidoscope," "Simultaneity," and "Presence." Their work captures the tour's dynamic energy and emotional depth, presenting a vivid visual narrative of Utada's musical journey.

In celebration of this special release, a photography exhibition will be hosted at New Gallery in Jimbocho, Tokyo, from March 7 to March 30. Exclusive original prints of selected works will be available for purchase during the exhibition.

Pre-orders for the highly anticipated photobook NINE STORIES are now available worldwide through the HIKARU UTADA Official Store and Amazon with international shipping available.

For detailed information, please visit the newly launched NINE STORIES special website at https://newgallery-tokyo.com/ninestories.

As a special offer, customers purchasing the full nine-volume box set from the HIKARU UTADA Official Store or New Gallery Store will receive an exclusive original pre-order bonus item.

Important Notes:
The bonus gift is available only for purchases of the Box Set.
The bonus gift is offered in limited quantities and will end once supplies are exhausted.
The specifics of the pre-order bonus gift will be announced at a later date.

Individual volumes will not include pre-order bonus gifts and are available for purchase exclusively through the HIKARU UTADA Official Store, the New Gallery Store, and Amazon.

Pre-Order Purchase Links:
HIKARU UTADA Official Store: https://store.hikaruutada-tour-official.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.jp/b?node=204649410051
New Gallery Store (Japan Only): https://newgallery-tokyo.com/store/ninestories

■Overview of “NINE STORIES”

In celebration of their 25th anniversary and first nationwide tour in six years, SCIENCE FICTION TOUR 2024, Hikaru Utada embarks on a groundbreaking project to capture the essence of their journey through the eyes of nine acclaimed photographers. The project aims to preserve this moment in time through a photobook and as a lasting legacy for future generations.

Named after the title of a short story by American author J.D. Salinger, NINE STORIES takes inspiration from the depth and richness of storytelling. Over the course of nine cities, the photographers—Kazuhei Kimura, Chikashi Suzuki, Mayumi Hosokura, Rinko Kawauchi, Daido Moriyama, John Yuyi, Wing Shya, Takashi Homma, and Rika Noguchi—each offer their unique perspectives on Utada's performances, capturing their artistry in a way that has never been seen before.

This collaboration with some of the world's most esteemed photographers brings to life a new form of live performance photography and photobook creation, showcasing the unparalleled connection between Utada and their audience. The project ensures that Hikaru Utada's musical legacy and their impact as an artist will live on for generations to come, immortalized through the lens of these photographers for not just five years, fifty years, or one hundred years—but for eternity.

Nine Perspectives

• Fukuoka: Kazuhei Kimura - "Observation"
  
• Aichi: Chikashi Suzuki - "Fragments (Part of)"
  
• Saitama: Mayumi Hosokura - "Physicality"
  
• Miyagi: Rinko Kawauchi - "Radiance"
  
• Tokyo: Daido Moriyama - "Relationships"
  
• Taipei: John Yuyi - "Self-Projection"
  
• Hong Kong: Wing Shya - "Kaleidoscope"
  
• Osaka: Takashi Homma - "Simultaneity"
  
• Kanagawa: Rika Noguchi - "Presence"

■Photo Book Details:
Title: HIKARU UTADA SCIENCE FICTION TOUR 2024 NINE STORIES
Photographers: Kazuhei Kimura, Chikashi Suzuki, Mayumi Hosokura, Rinko Kawauchi, Daido Moriyama, John Yuyi, Wing Shya, Takashi Homma, and Rika Noguchi
Publisher: New Gallery (Sony Music Entertainment Japan)
Release Date: March 21, 2025
Formats:
Box Set: 9 volumes (B5 size, 48 pages each), housed in a lenticular box, priced at ¥15,000 (incl. tax).
Individual Volumes: B5 size, 48 pages, ¥2,200 each (incl. tax).

■Photo Exhibition Details:
Title: HIKARU UTADA SCIENCE FICTION TOUR 2024 NINE STORIES
Dates: March 7 (Friday) – March 30 (Sunday), 2025
Venue: New Gallery (1F, 1-28-1 Kanda Jimbocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
Hours: 12:00–20:00 (tentative)
Admission: Free
Exhibition Highlights:
Original prints of selected works will be available for sale.

For More Information:
NINE STORIES Official Website: https://newgallery-tokyo.com/ninestories
New Gallery: https://newgallery-tokyo.com/

■Photographer Profiles
Kazuhei Kimura
Born in 1993 in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture. Lives in Tokyo. Received the Jury
Encouragement Award at the 19th Photo 1_WALL and the Grand Prix at IMA next #6 “Black&White”. Major solo exhibitions include “counterpoint” (Roll) in 2022, 23, and 2024, “The Other Side of the Window” (BOOK AND SONS) in 2020, and major photobooks “The Other Side of the Window” (Akaakasha), “wing curtain”, “lighthouse”(both aptp) and “IRON RIBBON”(Libraryman).

Chikashi Suzuki

Born in 1972, he moved to France in 1998 and began his career as a photographer with the magazine Purple. Currently represented by the KOSAKU KANECHIKA gallery, he has produced work for domestic and international magazines as well as commercial projects for ISSEY MIYAKE, GUCCI, CHANEL, and JOHN LOBB. His major group exhibitions include COLETTE (Paris, 1998), MOCA (Los Angeles, 2001), and the Henry Art Gallery (Washington, 2001). Notable solo exhibitions were held at TREESARESOSPECIAL (Tokyo, 2005), G/P GALLERY (Tokyo, 2009), and Kosaku Kanechika (Tokyo, 2018, 2019, 2020). His representative photobooks include shapes of blooming (TREESARESOSPECIAL, 2005), Driving with Rinko Kikuchi (THE INTERNATIONAL, 2008), CITE (G/P GALLERY and TREESARESOSPECIAL, 2009), and SAKURA! (LITTLE MORE, 2014).

Mayumi Hosokura
Born in Kyoto, Hosokura Mayumi experiments with photographic imagery to question the boundaries regarded as natural between the organic and the mineral, the human and the animal, the human and the machine, as well as racial or sexual identities. Her work has been featured in numerous group exhibitions in Japan and abroad, as well as solo exhibitions, notably Walking, Diving (Takuro Someya Contemporary Art, Tokyo, 2023), New Skin (mumei, Tokyo, Japan, 2019) , and Jubilee (nomad nomad studio, Hong Kong, 2017). She has published several books, including New Skin (MACK, 2020), Jubilee (artbeat publishers, 2017), and Transparency is the New Mystery (MACK, 2016).

Rinko Kawauchi
Born in Shiga in 1972. In 2002, she received the 27th Kimura Ihei Award for her photobooks “Utatane” and “Hanabi”. Highly acclaimed both in Japan and overseas—most notably receiving the Outstanding Contribution to Photography award at the Sony World Photography Awards in 2023—she has held numerous exhibitions worldwide. Her major publications include Illuminance (2011), Ametsuchi (2013), and Halo (2017). From 2022 to 2023, she staged a large-scale solo exhibition, “Rinko Kawauchi: M/E On this sphere Endlessly interlinking” at the Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery and the Shiga Museum of Art. Her latest photobook, “M/E”, will be published in January 2025.

Daido Moriyama
Born 1938 in Ikeda, Osaka. A designer turned photographer, he worked as an assistant to Takeji Iwamiya and Eikoh Hosoe before becoming a freelance photographer in 1964, winning the New Artist Award of the Japan Photo Critics Society in 1967 for his series such as 'Japan Photo Theater' published in Camera Mainichi magazine.

He has had major exhibitions in Japan and abroad, including at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (1999; toured to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Japan Society, New York), the National Museum of Art, Osaka (2011) and a joint exhibition with William Klein at the Tate Modern, London (2012-13), He has received international acclaim, including the International Center of Photography (New York) Infinity Award (2012), the Order of Arts and Culture from the French Government (2018) and the Hasselblad International Photography Award (2019).

John Yuyi Born in Taiwan, 1991. John Yuyi grew up immersed in the “post-Internet generation,” which has profoundly shaped her interdisciplinary work across art, fashion, and social media. As the original text states, she is “globally recognized as a leading interdisciplinary voice,” often exploring “the female body” and the impact of social media through “temporary tattoos” as a “performative canvas.” She has exhibited worldwide and collaborated with brands like Gucci and Kenzo, garnering international acclaim, including recognition in “Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia.” Recent shows in Switzerland, the UK, and Berlin reflect her ongoing global influence, and her work was notably introduced in Taiwan's high school Fine Art textbooks in 2023 and 2024, underscoring her cultural significance.

Wing Shya
Born in Hong Kong in 1964. Wing Shya studied fine arts at Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Canada. After returning to Hong Kong, he founded the design studio "Shya-la-la Workshop," earning numerous awards for his work. In 1997, he was appointed as the exclusive photographer and graphic designer for the film Happy Together by director Wong Kar Wai. In 2006, he held a solo exhibition, Wing Shya Exhibition, at the Mori Arts Center Gallery in Tokyo. He continues to showcase his work in solo exhibitions around the world, including in New York, Italy, and Hong Kong.

Takashi Homma
In 1999, he received the 24th Kimura Ihei Award for his photobook “Tokyo Kogai” published by Korinsha. Among his notable publications is “Tanoshii Shashin: Yoiko no tame no shashin kyōshitsu” from Heibonsha. Recent works include “TOKYO OLYMPIA” (published by NIEVES) and “Thirty-six View of Mount Fuji” (published by MACK). From 2023 to 2024, he is presenting a solo exhibition titled “Revolution 9” at the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum.

Rika Noguchi
Rika Noguchi (b. 1971, Saitama) lives and works in Okinawa, Japan. She began creating photographic works in 1992 and has since exhibited widely both in Japan and internationally, including major contemporary art events such as the Carnegie International and the Biennale of Sydney. Among her notable solo exhibitions are “Premonition” (Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art, Kagawa, 2001), “I Dreamt of Flying” (Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, 2004), and “Mysterious Power” (Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, 2022–2023). Her works are held in the collections of institutions including the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo; the National Museum of Art, Osaka; the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; and the Centre Pompidou, Paris.

■Hikaru Utada Profile
Japanese singer-songwriter and producer Hikaru Utada stands as one of the most influential artists in J-pop and the global music scene. Since bursting onto the scene in 1998, Utada achieved many remarkable milestones in their career. Their first single ‘Automatic/time will tell’ sold over two million copies, propelling them to become one of Japan's top artists at the age of 15. Just months later, their debut full-length First Love shattered domestic CD sales figures, holding the record for best-selling album ever, an honor it still boasts today.

Since then, Utada's albums have routinely topped charts and wowed listeners, thanks to a unique blend of pop, R&B, rock, and electronic music elements topped with a sense of innovation and timelessness. Beyond their mesmerising sound, Utada's songwriting is a hallmark of their career, crafting deeply introspective and emotionally charged lyrics that resonate with their audience on a profound level. Utada's ethereal vocals effortlessly convey vulnerability, strength, and rawness. Actively involved in music production, they maintain creative control over their artistic vision, including directing the whole recording process.

Recently, Utada's artistry has reached new heights. Their eighth album BAD MODE garnered high praise both domestically and internationally, with multiple music outlets hailing it as one of 2022's best releases. That year, Utada made their festival debut at the globally recognized Coachella Festival in California, joining celebrated label 88rising as part of their exhilarating showcase. In 2023, Utada started the year by hosting a special online event titled “40 Dai-Wa-Iroiro♫” to celebrate their artistic journey and life milestones. That summer, Utada released a new single “Gold -Mata Au Hi Made-” which served as the theme song for the Japanese film KINGDOM: The Flame of Destiny. A month later, “Gold -Mata Au Hi Made- (Taku's Twice Upon a Time Remix)” was also released, claiming the top spot on rankings for both Japanese and international digital music platforms.

To mark 25 years since their debut, Utada released their first greatest hits album, SCIENCE FICTION, in the spring of 2024. This milestone was celebrated with the eagerly awaited “SCIENCE FICTION TOUR 2024,” their first nationwide tour in six years, which concluded with a spectacular finale at Yokohama's K Arena on September 1. The historic live performance journey was immortalized with the release of the concert film “HIKARU UTADA SCIENCE FICTION TOUR 2024.”

With their exceptional talent, innovative sound, introspective lyrics, and emotional vocal registry, Utada continues to leave an indelible mark on the world of contemporary music, inspiring generations of global audiences. Their artistry remains a shining example of the power of art to push boundaries, break fresh ground and reach new milestones.