Hikaru Utada’s return to her musical career has been running at full tilt, with releases and collaborations announced left, right, and centre! This time around, she is announcing the return of “Utada Magazine” (UtaMag for short), which is a free music magazine last published in 2002. The new UtaMag will be released on 26th June — the same day as her new album! — make sure you grab one when you pick up your CDs at Japanese stores nationwide.

© Epic Records / Sony Music Japan

Also announced is her new multi-store collaboration cafe, opened simultaneously from 26th June 2018 at TOWER RECORDS CAFE Shibuya, Sapporo, Umeda, and Fukuoka, as well as HMV & BOOKS SHIBUYA CONCEPT CAFE and kawara CAFE&KITCHEN at PARCO Nagoya. Have a sip of the special “Pakuccino”, as well as interact with the cute and cuddly “AR Kuma-chan”.

© Epic Records / Sony Music Japan
© Epic Records / Sony Music Japan

Hikaru Utada is a much beloved Japanese singer-songwriter, who at the young age of 16 became Japan’s highest selling artiste of all time, when her debut album “First Love” (not to be confused with “Hatsukoi”) sold 10 million units worldwide. She is best known to anime and game fans for her collaborations with global hit franchises Evangelion and Kingdom Hearts.