From Monday, November 23, 2026 (national holiday) to Sunday, December 27, MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives (MoN Takanawa), an experimental museum of culture operated by the JR East Cultural Foundation (一般財団法人JR東日本文化創造財団), will hold the world premiere of "PLASTIKMAN | POLYPHONIC FERMENTATION," a joint project by world-renowned electronic musician Richie Hawtin and video artist Ali Demirel.
- An installation of sound and video recorded at sake breweries across Japan, running for about a month
- A one-night-only live performance, the first under the PLASTIKMAN name in Japan in 16 years
- A special sake program held at the same time in partnership with sakejump
- A limited-edition bottle made for the project by Aramasa Shuzo (新政酒造) of Akita
- Participation by ceramic artist 古谷宣幸, who made the sake cups, and SHUWAN, a brand of sake-specific vessels
Theme: Fermentation, Explored Through Sound and Video
The installation on the theme of "fermentation" will be shown in the museum's "Tatami" space from November 23 to December 27, 2026. On opening day, November 23, Box1000 will host the live performance as part of the final day of "MUTEK.JP 2026," a festival of electronic music and digital creativity. It will be the first live performance under the PLASTIKMAN name in Japan in 16 years.
Richie Hawtin, who holds the title of "Sake Samurai" (酒サムライ), has pursued electronic music for more than 30 years and has been deeply involved with sake for about 20 years. In this project, those two worlds meet the visual work of his longtime collaborator Ali Demirel and are presented as a new work of art.
Photo courtesy of PLASTIKMAN | POLYPHONIC FERMENTATION
In April 2026, the two visited sake breweries across Japan, experienced the brewing process firsthand, and researched the phenomenon of fermentation through conversations with the brewers. The footage and sounds recorded there are woven into the work, which explores the constant change seen in sake fermentation and the Japanese sense of "utsuroi" (移ろい), the passing of time and gradual transformation.
The project consists of two forms of expression: the installation, which runs for about a month, and a one-night audiovisual performance that will have its world premiere on Monday, November 23.
On the same day, a special program for tasting sake is also being held in partnership with sakejump. It centers on a limited-edition bottle by Aramasa Shuzo, sake cups by ceramic artist 古谷宣幸, and the sake vessel brand SHUWAN, offering a chance to experience the sake culture that inspired the work.
Through sound, video, space, and sake, "PLASTIKMAN | POLYPHONIC FERMENTATION" is an art project that looks at the process of fermentation and transformation from many angles, from sake brewing and the land and people behind it to the evolving creative process of Richie Hawtin and Ali Demirel.
Sounds and Scenes From Japanese Sake Breweries
Photo: 高木康行
"PLASTIKMAN | POLYPHONIC FERMENTATION" (Japanese title: プラスティックマン｜発酵ポリフォニー) is a single art project made up of an installation in MoN Takanawa's "Tatami" and an audiovisual live performance in "Box1000."
The Installation
The installation will be open for about a month starting on November 23, which corresponds to the traditional Japanese ritual Niiname-sai (新嘗祭). In the Tatami space of about 100 tatami mats, Ali Demirel's visuals and Richie Hawtin's sound overlap to depict an organic world inspired by sake fermentation.
Visitors can come and go freely and view the work at their own pace. The program of video and sound plays on repeat, and visitors can immerse themselves in the slowly shifting sound and imagery and experience the work in their own way.
The Live Performance
On opening day, November 23, a special audiovisual live performance will be held in Box1000 as part of the final-day program of "MUTEK.JP 2026."
Richie Hawtin has long been a leading figure in the global techno scene, and the PLASTIKMAN name holds an important place in his work. It has been 16 years since a live performance under that name was last held in Japan. While sharing a theme with the installation, the performance explores the world of fermentation through different sound and visual expression.
The Concept: Fermentation and "Utsuroi"
Photo: SKINNY
Music and Video Born From "Multiple Parallel Fermentation"
The title "POLYPHONIC FERMENTATION" comes from the "multiple parallel fermentation" (並行複発酵) unique to sake brewing.
In multiple parallel fermentation, the conversion of rice starch into sugar by koji and the alcoholic fermentation of that sugar by yeast take place at the same time in the same vessel. Different processes act on one another and together produce a single sake. The creative process of Richie Hawtin and Ali Demirel follows a similar pattern: sound and video each keep their own expression while influencing each other, and over time develop into one work.
Richie Hawtin says:
"Our creative process with sound and visuals is very similar to fermentation. Sound and visuals begin as small, separate particles, then evolve symbiotically and form more tightly intertwined ideas.
With 'POLYPHONIC FERMENTATION,' Ali Demirel and I push that process further, drawing inspiration for both the sound and visual layers of this new work from the organic process of sake brewing."
Visiting Sake Breweries to Collect the Sounds and Images of Fermentation
In April 2026, Richie Hawtin and Ali Demirel visited Gekkeikan (月桂冠) in Kyoto, Aramasa Shuzo (新政酒造) in Akita, and Yoshida Shuzoten (吉田酒造店, maker of Tedorigawa 手取川) in Ishikawa to experience and document sake brewing firsthand.
They filmed and recorded on site while encountering the brewing traditions handed down in each region. The footage and field recordings gathered there became important material for the work.
The sounds and images recorded at the breweries are layered with Richie Hawtin's electronic music and Ali Demirel's visual expression, creating the audiovisual world of "POLYPHONIC FERMENTATION."
Photo courtesy of Aramasa Shuzo Co., Ltd. (新政酒造株式会社)
Two Different Visual Expressions of "Utsuroi"
Another key concept running through the project is the Japanese word "utsuroi" (移ろい): the way things change continuously over time, and the sensibility, rooted in Japanese culture, of perceiving those subtle changes.
"Utsuroi" has long been present in the work of both artists, and "POLYPHONIC FERMENTATION" explores that sense more deeply.
The installation is conceived as an immersive, meditative space that changes slowly. Fermentation-inspired video and sound are combined and gradually transform over time.
Image courtesy of Ali Demirel
Even footage that appears still at first glance holds constant change. The change is too subtle to catch in a single moment, but over time it becomes unmistakable. The work is a space for experiencing this "utsuroi" through sound and video.
Ali Demirel, who is in charge of the visuals, describes the two forms of expression:
"For the installation, we adopted cinematic visual expression. By combining footage shot at traditional Japanese sake breweries with Japan's natural landscapes, we explore the relationship among nature, the craftsmanship of artisans, and the transformation produced by fermentation.
In the live performance, on the other hand, the visuals move into a more abstract world. The inspiration is the traditional Japanese culture of 'tsukimi' (moon viewing) and the concept of 'utsuroi,' which means that all things are constantly changing.
Drawing on historical depictions of the moon in Japanese art, including works by Katsushika Hokusai and Yokoyama Taikan, I blend microscope footage capturing the fermentation process with close-up footage of natural elements such as rock surfaces and flowing water."
A Special Sake Tasting Program on the Same Day
In partnership with sakejump, a special sake program will be held from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Monday, November 23, 2026.
The program centers on three things: a limited-edition collaboration bottle that Aramasa Shuzo of Akita has made for this project with Richie Hawtin, sake cups by Shigaraki-based ceramic artist 古谷宣幸, and the sake vessel brand "SHUWAN," developed to bring out the appeal of sake.
The limited-edition bottle from Aramasa Shuzo is a sake that lets drinkers taste the work's theme of "fermentation." It is a naturally sparkling sake that undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle, with the carbon dioxide produced by the yeast kept in the sake. Unlike sake carbonated with externally added gas, the bubbles come naturally from fermentation and are one with the sake itself.
Photo: SKINNY
Image courtesy of Aramasa Shuzo Co., Ltd. (新政酒造株式会社): Cosmos Clear Spark | ENTER.Sake PLASTIKMAN. Edition
For tasting this special sake, the program prepares cups made by 古谷宣幸 and SHUWAN, which was developed to bring out the aroma and flavor of sake. Each vessel has its own character, and the program offers a new experience in which the sake and the vessel come together, including the texture of the cup and how it feels on the lips as well as the taste of the sake.
Experiencing the world of "fermentation" depicted in sound and video by actually tasting sake, the program offers a chance to touch the depth of sake culture through multiple senses.
Lottery Sale of the Aramasa Limited Bottle
The collaboration bottle by Aramasa Shuzo and Richie Hawtin, "Cosmos Clear Spark | ENTER.Sake PLASTIKMAN. Edition," made for this event, will be sold by lottery in limited quantities. Applicants apply in advance through a dedicated form, and only those who win the lottery can purchase the bottle on the day of the event. Details on how to apply and on purchase and pickup on the day will be announced in early November on sakejump's official Instagram (@sakejump).
Event Details
Project title
- English: PLASTIKMAN | POLYPHONIC FERMENTATION
- Subtitle: A performance & installation exploring the organic world of fermentation
- Credit: A collaboration between Richie Hawtin & Ali Demirel
- Japanese: プラスティックマン｜発酵ポリフォニー
Installation
- Dates: Monday, November 23, 2026 (national holiday) to Sunday, December 27, 2026
- The opening event sake program (3:00 PM to 8:00 PM) will be held on opening day.
- For operating days and hours during the period, please check the official website.
- Venue: MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives, Tatami
- Admission: Free
- Organizer: MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives
- Sponsors: Dassai Co., Ltd. (株式会社獺祭), Gekkeikan Sake Co., Ltd. (月桂冠株式会社)
- Special cooperation: Aramasa Shuzo Co., Ltd. (新政酒造株式会社), Yoshida Shuzoten Co., Ltd. (株式会社吉田酒造店), Sekiya Jozo Co., Ltd. (関谷醸造株式会社)
- Cooperation: Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association Youth Council (日本酒造組合中央会青年協議会), Abe Shuzo Co., Ltd. (阿部酒造株式会社), Kuramoto Shuzo Co., Ltd. (倉本酒造株式会社), haccoba Co., Ltd. (株式会社haccoba)
- Sake program partner: sakejump
- Official website: https://montakanawa.jp/programs/plastikman
Profiles
PLASTIKMAN | Richie Hawtin (リッチー・ホウティン)
Richie Hawtin is an electronic music artist who grew up in Canada and a sake specialist. He runs the music labels Plus 8 and MINUS as well as the sake projects ENTER.Sake and OUR SAKE CLUB (OSC).
He has released seven albums that left a significant mark on the history of electronic music. He led the shift of DJ performance from analog to digital, and through technological innovation and original visual design he has continually expanded the possibilities of DJing as an art form. His work is highly regarded in fields ranging from fine art to the front lines of technological innovation, and The New York Times has described him as "one of the intellectual drivers of electronic music." He also holds a sake sommelier qualification and is passionate about connecting the two cultures of music and sake.
Ali Demirel (アリ・デミレル)
Ali Mahmut Demirel is a Berlin-based audiovisual artist. With a background in nuclear engineering and architecture, he began making video art in the early 1990s and later expanded into performances that combine sound and visuals in real time.
He is known for his long collaboration with electronic musician and producer Richie Hawtin (PLASTIKMAN), exploring abstract, minimal visuals precisely synchronized with sound. After many years of working with generative visuals, he shifted the focus of his work to lens-based expression, treating nature, and "rock" in particular, as both material and conceptual foundation for his work. In recent years he has been weaving together ecosystems, landscapes, and myth to create fantastical, hypnotic visual narratives.
sakejump (Sake Program Partner)
sakejump is a platform that connects Japanese alcohol, including sake, with new drinkers and spreads that culture in Japan and overseas. It produces "Wakate no Yoake" (若手の夜明け), one of Japan's largest sake events, and 混祭, a festival of Japanese alcohol born at TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY.
It has also expanded its activities overseas, holding sake events in Hong Kong and Beijing in 2025 and, in 2026, in Berlin and London in collaboration with Richie Hawtin, who holds the title of "Sake Samurai." In 2026 it also produced "sakejump takanawa," a sake specialty shop at NEWoMan TAKANAWA MIMURE, which introduces sake and craft sake carefully selected from breweries nationwide.
Aramasa Shuzo Co., Ltd. (新政酒造株式会社)
Aramasa Shuzo is the original brewery of Kyokai No. 6 yeast (きょうかい6号), the oldest surviving sake yeast, discovered about 100 years ago, and is known as one of the breweries that gave rise to ginjo-shu. Since the era of the eighth-generation head, it has pursued traditional brewing methods such as kimoto brewing and fermentation in wooden vats. In recent years it has placed agriculture at the core of its business, operating its own fields and practicing the "農醸一体" approach, handling everything from growing the rice to brewing.
Aramasa Shuzo x Richie Hawtin limited collaboration bottle: Cosmos Clear Spark | ENTER.Sake PLASTIKMAN. Edition
This sake undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle, with the carbon dioxide produced by the yeast sealed in as it is, making it a naturally sparkling sake. Unlike added gas, the bubbles are very natural and become one with the sake itself. It has also been pasteurized (hi-ire), giving it the strength to withstand aging. It is one of the most labor-intensive sakes among Aramasa's creations.
Ceramic Artist 古谷宣幸
Born in 1984 in Shigaraki, Shiga Prefecture, he grew up as the third son of the late 古谷道生, a leading Shigaraki potter. He graduated from the ceramics course of Kyoto Saga University of Arts Junior College in 2005. After graduating, he traveled through pottery regions across Japan and encountered a variety of ceramic techniques and styles in places such as Seto and Karatsu.
He then studied under potter Takashi Nakazato (中里隆), accompanying him on work in Japan and abroad, including in the United States and Denmark. He learned kick-wheel throwing techniques and deepened his understanding of the close relationship between food and vessels. He is currently based in Shigaraki and continues to create there.
SHUWAN, a Sake-Specific Vessel Brand
SHUWAN is a brand of vessels designed specifically for sake, developed to bring out sake's rich aroma and deep flavor. Its distinctive "YURAGI shape" has a perfectly round rim and an elliptical body. This structure keeps the fruity aroma of sake inside the vessel while letting the sharp odor typical of alcohol escape, creating a tasting experience that highlights delicate aromas and flavors.
