100 Years of Leica:
The Event in Tokyo

We honoured the 100th anniversary of the Leica I with global celebrations in major cities, including Dubai, Milan, New York, Shanghai and Leica’s hometown of Wetzlar. The crowning glory of the celebrations – the finale – took place in Tokyo, the city that welcomed the world’s first official Leica Store in 2006. In the heart of Tokyo, we celebrated a century of Leica at the Spiral in Aoyama – the central venue for our commemorative event. The programme was enriched by parallel events held at the Leica Store and the Leica Gallery Omotesando.

On 17 October, guests from Japan and around the globe – including members of the Leica family, photographers and faithful enthusiasts – gathered for an evening devoted to the art of photography. A performance by Wilfried Kazuki Hedenborg – violinist with the Vienna Philharmonic and an internationally renowned artist – brought a distinctive note to the evening in Tokyo.

“I hereby decide: we will take the risk.” These bold words from Ernst Leitz II (1871–1956) signalled the start of a photographic revolution. An exclusive exhibition illuminates the journey that began with the Leica I, charting the evolution of our company right through to the present day.

In the atrium of the Spiral Garden, an immersive space was created to bring our 100-year journey to life – evoking a time vortex transporting guests through Leica’s legacy. A 24-metre-long spiral timeline, flanked by iconic Leica products, offered a striking visual narrative of the brand’s continuous evolution. As night descended, the atmosphere was transformed by an installation by award-winning sound designer Shinya Kiyokawa: he composed an immersive sound and light experience drawing from the distinctive shutter sounds of historic Leica cameras, including the Leica I. A projection of 100 photographic works – curated by Karin Rehn-Kaufmann, Art Director and Chief Representative of Leica Gallery International – transformed the space into a powerful visual tribute, encapsulating a century of Leica’s photographic heritage.

Since 2011, the Leica Hall of Fame Award has celebrated exceptional Leica photographers whose images have resonated globally, leaving a lasting impact on the world and capturing unforgettable moments. The exhibition in Tokyo showcased iconic works by the award winners from 2011 to 2024.

Another highlight of the event in Tokyo was the “Visual Conversation” exhibition. It brought together the two photographers Shoji Ueda and Masaharu Fukuyama for the first time. Together, their works reverberate across time, igniting a luminous dialogue of vision and emotion. 

As part of the global Leica Gallery series “In Conversation: A Photographic Dialogue between Yesterday and Today”, the exhibition at Leica Gallery Omotesando brought together the renowned master Elliott Erwitt and Tokyo-based American photographer John Sypal. With their black-and-white works that transcend time and place, the exhibition created a unique setting celebrating the humour and poetic moments in everyday life. The show remains open until 30 November.

Photography enthusiasts were invited to attend two engaging lectures on 18 October: one held as part of the “In Conversation” exhibition with John Sypal and Junko Ogawa, former Director of Magnum Photos’ Tokyo office, and another featuring photographers Herbie Yamaguchi and Anju.