GQ JAPAN June Issue Features 'GQ Creativity Awards 2026' Special! Hikaru Utada Makes First Appearance with 6 Boundary-Crossing Talents

The June 2026 issue of GQ JAPAN (published by Condé Nast Japan), available on Friday, May 1, features the 'GQ Creativity Awards 2026,' a global project honoring those who create a new world with fresh perspectives and ideas. For the fourth edition, the award recognizes six groups transcending genre boundaries: Hikaru Utada, who continues to challenge the essence of 'free music' even a quarter-century after her debut; YOSHIROTTEN, expanding creative domains from graphic design roots; Sako Yamada, proposing spaces that stimulate user creativity; IM MEN, inheriting Issey Miyake's spirit while exploring both functionality and design; Shu Yonezawa, actively releasing multimedia works; and Yuki Nara, innovating tradition as both an architect and ceramicist.

The cover is graced by winner Hikaru Utada, making her first-ever appearance in GQ JAPAN. Photographed in early spring Tokyo, her interview delves into the sources of her creativity, timed with her latest release 'Pappa Paradise' in May. Reflecting on her life changes since becoming a parent, Utada shared, 'Everyday life has become a source of inspiration.' Defining creativity as 'problem-solving,' she stated, 'I think I've always enjoyed the process of "how to create it" to fill a gap when something necessary is missing,' linking daily improvised problem-solving to the essence of music production.

'GQ Creativity Awards 2026' Talents Crossing Boundaries with Creativity The awards selected talents who move lightly across boundaries through creative power. This 22-page feature introduces the winners' works and their core thinking through deep interviews.

Winners (Alphabetical order):

IM MEN Launched in 2021 as a brand capturing Issey Miyake's 'A Piece of Cloth' philosophy for the male body. They held their first Paris show for the FW25-26 collection. Members: Susumu Kawahara (Center), Hiroki Itakura (Left) for design/engineering, and Nobutaka Kobayashi (Right) for textile development. Their SS26 pieces are exhibited at the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto until June 21.

Hikaru Utada Born in 1983. Debuted in 1998 with 'Automatic/time will tell.' Her first album 'First Love' set a sales record in Japan. All subsequent albums reached No. 1. Her 2026 song 'Pappa Paradise' is the ending theme for 'Chibi Maruko-chan' and the 'Ayataka' CM song.

Yuki Nara Born in Ishikawa in 1989. Studied architecture at Tokyo University of the Arts and ceramics at Tajimi City Pottery Design and Technical Center. Founded 'EARTHEN' in 2021. His ceramic masterpiece 'BoneFlower' is in the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa's collection.

Sako Yamada Born in Tokyo in 1984. Studied landscape design and architecture. Founded her own firm in 2013. Recent works include the residence 'nakano' (2024) and the 'Yabu City Exchange Plaza YB Park' (scheduled for 2027).

YOSHIROTTEN Born in Kagoshima in 1983. Operates across fine art, digital, and urban culture. Founded 'YAR' in 2015. Plans his largest solo exhibition in Tokyo for Fall 2026.

Shu Yonezawa Born in Tokyo in 1999. Focuses on characters in digital animation.