"NINE STORIES"

New Gallery (Sony Music Entertainment Japan Inc.) has announced the publication of the photo book "NINE STORIES" on March 21, 2025. The book captures Hikaru Utada's national tour, "SCIENCE FICTION TOUR 2024," her first in six years, through the perspectives of nine photographers. This release commemorates Utada's 25th debut anniversary.

The project "NINE STORIES," named after the short story collection by J.D. Salinger, brings together the work of nine talented photographers who each document one of the nine cities visited during Hikaru Utada's tour. This ambitious project captures not only the live performances but also the unique musical ambiance and emotional essence of Hikaru Utada’s concerts. Each photographer, with their distinctive perspective and style, explores different themes, resulting in a diverse and profound artistic representation of the tour. The breakdown of the nine performances and their themes is as follows:

• Fukuoka Performance by Kazuhei Kimura: "Voyeurism"
• Aichi Performance by Chikashi Suzuki: "Fragments"
• Saitama Performance by Mayumi Hosokura: "Physicality"
• Miyagi Performance by Rinko Kawauchi: "Overflowing Light"
• Tokyo Performance by Daido Moriyama: "Relationships"
• Taipei Performance by John Yuyi: "Self-Projection"
• Hong Kong Performance by Wing Shya: "Kaleidoscope"
• Osaka Performance by Takashi Homma: "Simultaneity"
• Kanagawa Performance by Rika Noguchi: "Existence"

In addition, a photo exhibition will be held at New Gallery in Jimbocho, Tokyo, from March 7 to March 30, 2025. During the exhibition, original prints of selected works will also be available for purchase, offering fans a unique opportunity to own a piece of this extraordinary project.

Pre-orders for the photo books have started at the HIKARU UTADA Official Store , New Gallery Store, Amazon, and other e-commerce sites. Additionally, customers who pre-order the 9-volume set from the HIKARU UTADA Official Store or the New Gallery Store will receive exclusive HIKARU UTADA NINE STORIES merchandise as a special bonus. Individual volumes will only be available at the HIKARU UTADA Official Store, New Gallery Store, and Amazon. The special pre-order bonuses are limited in quantity and will end once sold out. These bonuses are exclusively available for the box set.

Source: HIKARU UTADA Official Store, New Gallery in Jimbocho