Richie Hawtin and Ali Demirel travel to sake breweries across Japan, expressing the invisible life processes and the ever-changing world of fermentation over time. The film will be released on November 23rd, coinciding with the Niiname-sai (harvest festival).

Through the work of microorganisms invisible to the naked eye, rice is transformed into sake over time. Richie Hawtin and Ali Demirel focused on this organic process that is so deeply rooted in Japanese sake brewing.

In April 2026, the two visited sake breweries throughout Japan. They entered the actual sake-making sites and researched the phenomenon of fermentation through repeated conversations with the brewers. From this experience, the concept of "POLYPHONIC" emerged.

Sake is not created by a single, simple change. Different life processes, time constraints, and changes—including koji, shubo, and moromi—proceed simultaneously, interacting with each other and eventually leading to the creation of a single sake. Rather than multiple elements becoming homogenized, they coexist, each retaining its own unique "voice," and evolving over time.

"POLYPHONIC FERMENTATION is an attempt to transform this world of fermentation into an experience through Richie Hawtin's sound, Ali Demirel's visuals, and the space itself."

The title "POLYPHONIC FERMENTATION" is inspired by "multiple parallel fermentation," a unique process in sake brewing.
Parallel multiple fermentation is a sake-making process in which the saccharification of rice starch by koji and the alcoholic fermentation of sugar by yeast proceed simultaneously in the same container. Different processes interact with each other to create a single sake. This process mirrors the creative process of Richie Hawtin andAli Demirel. Sound and visuals influence each other while maintaining their own expression, developing into a single work over time.

In April 2026, Richie Hawtin and Ali Demirel visited Gekkeikan in Kyoto, Aramasa Sake Brewery in Akita, and Yoshida Sake Brewery (Tedorigawa) in Ishikawa to experience and document the sake brewing process firsthand.

While experiencing the sake-making traditions passed down in each region, we filmed and recorded the brewing process. The footage and field recordings we captured are important materials that make up this film.

The sounds and images recorded in the sake brewery are superimposed with Richie Hawtin's electronic music and Ali Demirel's visual expression, creating a unique audiovisual world that is characteristic of "POLYPHONIC FERMENTATION."

Another important concept running through this project is the Japanese word "utsuroi," which refers to the constant change of things over time, and the sensitivity rooted in Japanese culture to perceive these subtle changes. This "utsuroi" has long been a part of the two artists' expressions, and in "POLYPHONIC FERMENTATION," they explore this sensibility even more deeply. The installation is conceived as a slowly changing, immersive, and meditative space. Video and sound inspired by fermentation are combined, gradually transforming over time.

Even in images that appear static at first glance, a constant flow of change lies beneath the surface. While too subtle to grasp in an instant, the changes become tangible over time. This work is a space where you experience such "transience" through sound and visuals.

For this "PLASTIKMAN | POLYPHONIC FERMENTATION" event, in partnership with sakejump, we will be presenting a special sake program from 3 PM to 8 PM on Monday, November 23rd (holiday).

At the heart of this project are three elements: a limited-edition bottle created in collaboration with Richie Hawtin by Aramasa Sake Brewery in Akita Prefecture; sake cups by Shigaraki-based ceramic artist Nobuyuki Furuya; and the sake vessel brand "SHUWAN," which aims to enhance the appeal of Japanese sake.

This limited-edition bottle from Aramasa Brewery is a special sake that allows you to actually experience the theme of "fermentation" from the work. It is a naturally sparkling sake that undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle, trapping the carbon dioxide produced by the yeast within the sake. Unlike methods that add carbon dioxide from the outside, its characteristic feature is that the bubbles created naturally through fermentation are integrated with the sake itself.

To savor this special sake, we have prepared sake cups crafted by Nobuyuki Furuya and "SHUWAN," a vessel developed to enhance the aroma and flavor of sake. Through these sake vessels, each with its own unique characteristics, we propose a new experience that goes beyond just the taste of the sake, encompassing the texture and feel of the vessel itself, and the interplay between sake and sake vessel.

This event creates an opportunity to experience the world of "fermentation" depicted through sound and visuals, to taste sake, and to connect with the profound depths of Japanese sake culture through various senses. Music, visuals, sake, and pottery—different forms of expression and culture intersect to create a single world of "fermentation."

The limited-edition "Cosmos Clear Spark | ENTER.Sake PLASTIKMAN. Edition" bottle, a collaboration between Aramasa Sake Brewery and Richie Hawtin, specially produced for this event, will be sold by lottery in limited quantities. Only those who apply in advance via the dedicated form and are selected in the lottery will be able to purchase the bottle on the day of the event. Details on how to apply and information regarding purchase and pickup on the day of the event will be posted on the sakejump official Instagram in early November.@sakejumpWe will provide further information at [location/website/etc.].

sakejump is a platform that connects Japanese alcoholic beverages, including sake, with new drinkers and spreads its culture both domestically and internationally. It produces "Wakate no Yoake," one of the largest sake events in Japan, and "Konsai," a Japanese alcohol festival that originated at TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY.

Expanding its activities overseas, the company plans to hold sake events in Hong Kong and Beijing in 2025, and in Berlin and London in 2026 in collaboration with Richie Hawtin, who holds the title of "Sake Samurai."

With the concept of connecting Japanese sake breweries with drinkers around the world, in 2026 they produced "sakejump takanawa," a sake specialty store, at NEWoMan TAKANAWA MIMURE. They introduce carefully selected sake and craft sake from breweries all over Japan, conveying the passion of the brewers and the charm of Japanese sake culture.

Aramasa Brewery is a renowned sake brewery known as the birthplace of "Kyokai No. 6," the oldest existing sake yeast discovered approximately 100 years ago, and one of the breweries that produced ginjo sake. Since the time of the eighth generation brewery owner, they have thoroughly pursued traditional sake brewing methods such as kimoto brewing and wooden vat brewing. In recent years, they have made agriculture the cornerstone of their business, operating their own fields and practicing "agriculture and brewing as one," handling everything from cultivating the raw rice to brewing. Aramasa is a part of Japanese drinking culture, and the very essence of traditional romance to be savored.

Aramasa Sake Brewery's limited edition bottle in collaboration with Richie Hawtin
Cosmos Clear Spark｜ENTER.Sake PLASTIKMAN. Edition

This sake undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle, sealing in the carbon dioxide produced by the yeast—essentially a naturally sparkling sake. Unlike added gas, the effervescence is extremely natural and seamlessly integrated with the sake itself. This sake has also been pasteurized, giving it the strength to withstand aging. Please enjoy this sake, one of the most labor-intensive sakes produced by Aramasa Brewery.

Born in Shigaraki, Shiga Prefecture in 1984, he grew up as the third son of the late Michio Furuya, a leading ceramic artist of Shigaraki. In 2005, he graduated from the Ceramics course at Kyoto Saga University of Arts Junior College. After graduation, he traveled to various pottery-producing regions throughout Japan, experiencing diverse ceramic techniques and expressions in places like Seto and Karatsu.

Afterward, he apprenticed under ceramic artist Takashi Nakazato, accompanying him on his creative projects both domestically and internationally, including in the United States and Denmark. While learning kick-wheel techniques, he deepened his understanding of the profound connection between cooking, eating, and tableware. He currently continues his creative activities based in Shigaraki.

This is a brand of sake vessels developed specifically to bring out the rich aroma and profound flavor inherent in sake. It features a unique "YURAGI shape" with a perfectly round rim and an oval body. This structure allows the fruity aroma of sake to be retained within the vessel while the characteristic pungent smell of alcohol is released to a moderate extent, resulting in a tasting experience that allows you to enjoy the delicate aroma and flavor.