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Iei: A Portrait of the Life You Are Living
November 5 & 6 · Reserve your time between 11:00 am and 6:50 pm
In Japan, more and more people are choosing their own funeral portrait while they are still alive.
An iei is the portrait placed at a Japanese funeral, the image by which a person is remembered. Traditionally chosen in a hurry by family, it is increasingly something people choose themselves: a portrait that shows who they are, taken on their own terms. It is less about preparing for death than about honoring the person you are today.
This is a portrait session built around you. New York photographer Tokio Kuniyoshi and hair and makeup artist Michael work together to bring out your own features, style, and character. The result is a portrait that celebrates who you are today, and one the people you love will always have.
Choose your session (two-day festival admission included):
- Hair & makeup + portrait, $180: a 30-minute session that begins with hair and makeup (20 minutes), followed by your portrait session (10 minutes). Styling is a light, natural touch-up, so please arrive with a clean, simple base.
- Portrait only, $50: your portrait session without hair or makeup (about 10 minutes).
Your photos are retouched and delivered to you as digital files on the spot.
Already have an admission ticket? Choose “I already have an admission ticket” when booking: $150 with hair & makeup, or $20 for the portrait only. Please bring your admission ticket on the day.
Start times are every 20 minutes, 11:00 am to 1:20 pm and 2:40 pm to 6:20 pm, on both November 5 and November 6. Your start time is your check-in time. Please arrive on time: if you are late, your session will be shortened.
Book your session
| Two-day admission included | I already have admission | |
|---|---|---|
| Hair & makeup + portrait (30 min) | $180 $188.51 with tax | $150 $155.85 with tax |
| Portrait only (about 10 min) | $50 $52.66 with tax | $20 no tax |
Sales tax: 8.875% on the $30 admission, and 4.5% New York City tax on hair & makeup. Portrait photos delivered as digital files are not taxed.
Online booking has closed.
PLEASE NOTE: You can book on the day until each start time, while slots last. Cancellations made within 72 hours of the session are nonrefundable.
This session is part of Memento Mori in NYC: The Art of Japanese Life and Death, November 5–6 at RESOBOX. Admission-only tickets are also available ($30 + NY sales tax; Early Bird $20 through November 4). For the full program, please visit the official website: mementomori-nyc.com