Legendary Rock Icon Yoshiki Becomes First Japanese Man on Cover of Vogue Japan

Unfortunately, Yoshiki suffered painfully for this momentous occasion; the 52-year-old rock legend revealed that he was fresh from surgery and “still bleeding” during the historic Vogue photoshoot. According to SoraNews24, Yoshiki flew all the way to New York to take part in the photo shoot just three weeks after his recent operation.

Despite the difficulties that the rock icon had to go through to make it to the shoot, he revealed that “it was worth it”. The cover of Vogue Japan’s October 2017 issue features Yoshiki donning David Bowie-esque make-up while standing next to 27-year-old Argentinian supermodel Mica Arganaraz.

The X Japan drummer is best known for his intense drumming style, which has translated to multiple hospital visits. Recently, X Japan had to postpone one of their performances in May since Yoshiki was diagnosed with cervical foraminal stenosis, a complication of the spine, brought on by his drumming technique. While the Japanese rock legend is expected to have a full-recovery, he appears to be experiencing some pain from both the condition and the procedure.

According to Variety, Yoshiki didn’t waste a single moment in recovery following his surgery, as he requested to leave the hospital immediately after waking up from general anesthesia. The rock god is so dedicated to his work that he hurried his studio to record the song he wrote the night before his operation.