New Balance Hosts Ryuichi Sakamoto 'KAGAMI+' Event in Osaka

New Balance hosted a special event titled "Ryuichi Sakamoto & Tin Drum | KAGAMI+ New Balance Day" on Friday, September 11, at VS. in Osaka's Grand Green Osaka. This event was organized in conjunction with the "Ryuichi Sakamoto & Tin Drum | KAGAMI+" exhibition, which is currently running at the same venue. The exhibition showcases "KAGAMI+," an expanded iteration of "KAGAMI," developed over the final four years of Ryuichi Sakamoto's life in collaboration with the New York-based creative studio Tin Drum. This version has been specifically adapted for its debut in Japan. Attendees of the exhibition are equipped with specialized, transparent headsets that employ proprietary 3D visual technology. This technology aims to recreate Sakamoto's presence and performance, offering visitors the immersive sensation that he is performing live before them. The long-standing relationship between the acclaimed artist Ryuichi Sakamoto and New Balance dates back to 1992, when Sakamoto began wearing the brand's footwear. This connection deepened significantly in 2003 when he appeared in a commercial for the label. Over the subsequent years, their bond evolved through various musical collaborations and the joint development of co-branded shoes and bags. The "New Balance Day" event was conceived as a platform to transmit the shared ethos of "craftsmanship"—a principle deeply ingrained in both Sakamoto's artistic practice and New Balance's manufacturing heritage since its inception—to younger generations. The event program included a talk session featuring musician Ayatake Ezaki and freelance editor Soken Ito, both of whom shared a close professional and personal relationship with Sakamoto. Ezaki, who had previously experienced "KAGAMI+," offered his perspective on the exhibition through the lens of a musician. He expressed particular interest in observing Sakamoto's footwork, noting that while typical concert footage often emphasizes an artist's hands, "KAGAMI+" provides viewers with the unprecedented ability to observe the performance from any chosen angle. Ezaki highlighted the intricate detail involved in piano performance, stating, "With the piano, controlling resonance and extending sound beautifully actually involves incredibly detailed work with both the right and left feet." He emphasized that the capacity to closely examine Sakamoto's pedal technique is a distinctive and valuable aspect of the "KAGAMI+" experience. Furthermore, Ezaki shared an unexpected observation: after closely studying Sakamoto's hand movements and fingering, he remarked on the perceived size of Sakamoto's hands, noting they appeared larger than anticipated.