``NINE STORIES,'' a photo book created by 9 photographers about Hikaru Utada's tour, will be released.

■Hikaru Utada photo exhibition will be held at New Gallery!

The photo book “NINE STORIES”, which captures Hikaru Utada’s national tour “SCIENCE FICTION TOUR 2024”, which is celebrating her 25th anniversary since her debut, from the perspectives of nine photographers, will be published on March 21st. .

In addition, to commemorate the publication of the photo book, a photo exhibition will be held from March 7th to March 30th at New Gallery in Jimbocho, Tokyo. Original prints of some of the works will also be on sale during the exhibition.

The project “NINE STORIES,” named after a short story by J.D. Salinger, involves nine photographers weaving stories from each of the nine cities where the event was held, capturing Hikaru Utada’s live music.

The nine photographers participating are Kazuhei Kimura, Chika Suzuki, Mayumi Hosokura, Rinko Kawauchi, Daido Moriyama, John Yuyi, Wing Shya, Takashi Homma, and Rika Noguchi, each with their own unique perspective and expression. Various phenomena and landscapes can be viewed from nine perspectives: “peeking,” “fragment,” “physicality,” “overflow,” “relationship,” “self-projection,” “kaleidoscope,” “simultaneity,” and “existence.” Cut it out. During the 2024 tour, some of the photos were released on Hikaru Utada’s STAFF account on Instagram and became a big topic of conversation.

Pre-orders for the photo book will begin on January 8th at HIKARU UTADA Official Store, New Gallery Store, Amazon, and other e-commerce sites. For details, please visit the “NINE STORIES” special website.

In addition, those who pre-order the 9-volume set at HIKARU UTADA Official Store and New Gallery Store will receive original HIKARU UTADA NINE STORIES pre-order bonus goods.

■Overview of “NINE STORIES”
A project to capture Hikaru Utada’s 25th anniversary since her debut and her first national tour in 6 years, “SCIENCE FICTION TOUR 2024,” from the perspectives of nine photographers, preserve it as a photo book and other works, and pass it on to future generations.

The project name is based on the title of a short story by American novelist JD Salinger. Like that gem of a story, Hikaru Utada’s story (live) held in nine cities was performed by Kazuhei Kimura, Chika Suzuki, Mayumi Hosokura, Rinko Kawauchi, Daido Moriyama, John Yuyi, Wing Shya, Takashi Homma, Rika Noguchi. Each of today’s leading artists captures images from their own unique perspectives and weaves them together using the visual language of photography.

Hikaru Utada, a rare artist, has been able to collaborate with the best photographers, and the result is a new form of live photos/photobook that has never been seen before. Hikaru Utada’s live performances, and by extension Hikaru Utada, will be presented to the world through the perspective of a photographer as something that will remain forever, whether it’s 5 years from now, 50 years from now, 100 years from now, or beyond.

9 perspectives
Fukuoka performance: Kazuhei Kimura “Peeking”
Aichi Performance: Chika Suzuki “Fragments”
Saitama performance: Mayumi Hosokura “Physicality”
Miyagi Performance: Rinko Kawauchi “Overflowing Light”
Tokyo performance: Daido Moriyama “Relationship”
Taipei Performance: John Yuyi “Self-Projection”
Hong Kong performance: Wing Shya “Kaleidoscope”
Osaka Performance: Takashi Homma “Simultaneousness”
Kanagawa performance: Rika Noguchi “Existence”

*Single books are only available at HIKARU UTADA Official Store, New Gallery Store, and Amazon.
*Reservation benefits are limited in quantity and will end as soon as they run out.
*Reservation benefits apply only to BOX.
*Details of reservation benefits will be announced at a later date.