A Mixed Reality Work by Ryuichi Sakamoto Makes Its Japan Premiere in Osaka This June

The music of late Ryuichi Sakamoto returns to Japan not as memory, but as an experience you step into.

Ryuichi Sakamoto & Tin Drum | KAGAMI+ makes its Japan premiere, presenting the expanded version of “KAGAMI” – a mixed reality work that reconstructs Sakamoto’s piano performance in three-dimensional space, allowing audiences to encounter his music in an immersive environment.

Running from June 27 to October 12 at VS. in Osaka’s Umekita district, the exhibition marks the first presentation of “KAGAMI+” in Japan. Tickets are now on sale, with the full programme of the Japan premiere now revealed.

Originally conceived over the final four years of Sakamoto’s life in collaboration with director Todd Eckert and production studio Tin Drum, “KAGAMI” premiered at The Shed in 2023 before touring internationally across London, Manchester, Taipei, Singapore, Melbourne, Italy and Hong Kong, earning wide acclaim.

In the work, audiences wear optically transparent headsets and encounter a three-dimensional reconstruction of Sakamoto at the grand piano, rendered through a proprietary dimensional capture process. His performance emerges within the physical space, accompanied by visuals that respond dynamically to the music, creating an encounter that goes beyond traditional concert distance.

The experience extends beyond sound and image. Video, photography and text are integrated throughout the space, alongside a scent personally blended by Sakamoto, creating a layered sensory environment that unfolds as audiences move through it. The Guardian described the work as “a magical experience”.

For its Japan presentation, an expanded version titled “KAGAMI+” will be unveiled, developed specifically for this exhibition.

Two ticket types will be available. RED TICKET includes the full approximately 60-minute “KAGAMI" experience, along with a limited-edition 7-inch vinyl record An edition for the KAGAMI+ RED 2026, exclusive to visitors. BLUE TICKET offers a 30-minute version of the experience, with a student discount option available.

In addition to “KAGAMI+”, visitors will also be able to experience related works that present Sakamoto’s music across multiple contexts, including “TIME, TIME”, a collaboration between Sakamoto and Shiro Takatani, Ryuichi Sakamoto: Playing the Piano 2026 - D, and newly presented sound installations.

To commemorate the Japan premiere, a special YouTube premiere of “Ryuichi Sakamoto: PTP04022020 – YouTube Edit" will be streamed on May 7 at 21:00 (JST) via the commmons official channel, offering a one-time shared viewing experience without archive availability.

As “KAGAMI+” arrives in Japan, it offers a new way to encounter Sakamoto’s final creative work – not as distance or reflection, but as presence, space and lived experience.