[ENGAWA Co., Ltd.] English lifestyle magazine [Tokyo Weekender] will publish its commemorative issue, “The Icons Issue,” featuring photos by Leslie Kee, on Friday, September 26th.
ENGAWA Co., Ltd. Press Release: September 25, 2025 The English lifestyle magazine Tokyo Weekender will publish its commemorative issue, “The Icons Issue,” featuring photos by Leslie Kee, on Friday, September 26th. Exclusively released portraits of 15 Japanese icons taken by Leslie Kee, photographer of Beyoncé and Madonna
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world-renowned photographer from Singapore who currently resides in Japan. Enchanted by the music of Yumi Matsutoya, he moved to Japan and now continues to photograph world-famous stars like Beyoncé and Madonna. In this special interview, he talks about his origins. He explains how his philosophy as a photographer was born from the bitter regret of not being able to take a photo of his late mother when he was young. He also talks about the meaning behind his words, “If you have a dream, press the shutter now without hesitation.” The editorial team was deeply moved by this epic story of passion, loss, and the drive to creativity. This is a valuable interview that gives us a glimpse into the “soul” of this world-famous photographer. Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/17308/217/17308-217-cb006925cab0d8c3796d64707a59b315-1653×1169.jpg Interview with Leslie Kee (excerpt from this magazine) “An imperfect portrait would have been fine, but I didn’t even try, and before I knew it, she was gone. It made me realize life is too short, there’s no use waiting until tomorrow. If you have a dream, don’t hesitate to capture it.” (I would have been fine with leaving the photos unfinished, but I ended up never taking a photo of my mother, and before I knew it, she was gone. That’s when I realized how quickly life really does pass. That’s why I believe there’s no need to wait until tomorrow. If you have a dream, you should take a picture now without hesitation.) ■Special Feature “TW ICONS”: “Cultural
Inheritance” Embodyed by 15 Top Runners from Various Fields This issue’s special feature, “TW ICONS,” features 15 top runners as “icons” who have shaped Japan’s cultural identity in today’s ever-changing world. World-renowned photographer Leslie Kee, a collaborator on this project, will embody the theme of “cultural inheritance” through portraits that capture the very essence of these people’s lives, connecting them to the future.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/17308/217/17308-217-485f053f78061e5dfa9dbd46f31d7b87-1653×1169.jpg TW Icon Awards compiled by SUPER. photographed by Leslie Kee [List of Appearing Icons (In No Special Order)] TW ICON Category Name Name Page FILM NAOMI KAWASE Naomi Kawase 26 ARCHITECTURE KENGO KUMA Kengo Kuma 27 FASHION KUNIHIKO MORINAGA Kunihiko Morinaga 28 MUSIC ANRI Anri 29 ENTERTAINMENT TAKUMI SAITOH Takumi Saito 30 ENTERTAINMENT SAKI TAKAOKA Saki Takaoka 31 VISIONARY TOSHIYUKI INOKO Toshiyuki Inoko 32 ENTERTAINMENT ATSUKO OKATSUKA Atsuko Okatsuka 33 THEATER RAY YUZUKA Yuzu Kakou 34 SPORTS TOMOAKI MAKINO Tomoaki Makino 35 BEAUTY HIROKO MIMA Hiroko Mima 36 MUSIC MAKOTO OZONE Makoto Ozone 37 ART MARIKO MORI Mariko Mori 38 CULINARY NATSUKO SHOJI Natsuko Shoji 39 CULTURE A.O.I. YAMADA Aoi Yamada 40 ■Other notable contents • STYLE ICON • Featured: A look at the creative journey of Kunihiko Morinaga, founder of the fashion brand “ANREALAGE,” with original photographs by Leslie Kee. • IN-DEPTH • 59-year-old “dancing salaryman” Toru Utsumi has become an international sensation. • Buddhist statue sculptor Miyamoto Gakyu (GAKYU) combines ancient spirituality with modern beauty. • TRAVEL • Featured cycling routes in the Awa region of Chiba Prefecture Image
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/17308/217/17308-217-4540ef4eb496d1ded4a505d8ef3a8cc8-1653×1169.jpg The contents of Tokyo Weekender 2025 Vol. 3, “The Icons Issue,” will be available online for free from Friday, September 26th.
https://www.tokyoweekender.com/magazine-archives/ ■ Comment from Tokyo Weekender Executive Director Liam Ramshaw
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/17308/217/17308-217-937368321a6bdbe47b870c99979061e3-1980×1377.jpg When I first stepped into our office in March 2011, just five days after the Great East Japan Earthquake, I had no experience in magazine production. At the time, I doubted whether our small magazine would survive until the end of the month. This year marks our 55th anniversary. Founder Corky Alexander launched the magazine in 1970 with the goal of creating a “lively, fun, and cheeky weekly magazine for the many foreigners who work, play, and live in Tokyo.” Since then, the magazine has evolved and is now supported by an incredible team and a vibrant reader community. We are honored to feature “Icons of Japan” in this commemorative issue alongside photographer and cultural icon Leslie Kee. We’d like to express our sincere gratitude to our readers and partners for their support. We hope you will be able to feel Japanese culture and its creativity for the future through their appearances and words. ■ About Tokyo Weekender Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/17308/217/17308-217-bf617729982e16cc6dc6327eafd9b3da-1622×421.png Founded in 1970, Tokyo Weekender is Japan’s oldest English-language lifestyle media for foreigners. Written by a foreign editorial staff, the free magazine delivers unique and fascinating information about Japan to foreigners living in Japan as well as the increasing number of inbound tourists. Approximately 20,000 copies are distributed at 400 locations throughout Tokyo. We publish daily content online and on social media, attracting many visitors from overseas seeking unique information about Japan and Tokyo. URL:
https://www.tokyoweekender.com/ Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/tokyoweekender/ Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/tokyo.weekender/
https://www.tokyoweekender.com/advertise-with-us/
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/17308/217/17308-217-c7504ca79b8494d211dd62dbe6936293-1816×345.png ENGAWA Co., Ltd. ENGAWA is a marketing company that optimally communicates Japan’s valuable content to people around the world, creating scenes that resonate and inspire many foreigners and Japanese alike. We provide communication support for overseas and inbound tourists through the operation of the English-language media “Tokyo Weekender,” which has a history of over 50 years since its publication in 1970, foreign KOL/influencer marketing, and the operation of OMOTENASHI Selection, which promotes attractive Japanese products and services. URL: https://engawa.global/ For more information about this release
