Richie Hawtin is a master behind the decks and now it seems on the battlegrounds becoming a samurai overnight… well sort of.

He was actually awarded the prestigious ‘Sake Samurai’ title by the Sake Samurai Association at a ceremony in Japan this month for his “for his outstanding contribution to the understanding, appreciation and promotion of sake through his ENTER.SAKE project.”

After hearing about the decline of the Sake industry in Japan he resolved the issue by bedding in with a Japanese brewery in 2012 and exported the good stuff to his ENTER night in Ibiza where punters could enjoy both traditional drops as well as varying sparkling options.

Richie spills;

“The Sake industry was filled with small family-run breweries each following their own distinct style with careful & creative thought about each step of the production, much like how our favourite labels dedicate themselves to a certain sound and unique aesthetics. At the same moment I learned how the domestic Japanese Sake industry was actually in decline with so many young people moving their tastes to Beer, Wine, Cocktails and other spirits, forcing many breweries, some with hundreds of years of history, to close their doors forever. This sparked my imagination of somehow combining my love (and knowledge) of the Electronic Music scene and the world of Japanese Sake in a way to help (in my own way) revitalize the Sake industry and introduce my fans and colleagues into the world of Japanese Sake & culture.”

To put it lightly, Richie is a man wielding some serious social power and with a love of Japanese culture has created his own niche and been awarded so. He’ll also feature in that up-coming ‘808’ documentary alongside Diplo, New Order and Fatboy Slim. Plus its good to see DJs popping bottles of Sake over the usual bubbly stuff!

Who wants to see this in Australia?