With an open-format play style unbound by genre, DJ ryuu has continually carried Sendai’s youth scene while also appearing as an assassin in Tokyo's club scene, leaving an indelible mark everywhere he goes. Now, on the brink of entering his 30s, he takes on a new challenge: an "ALL NIGHT LONG" set.
The venue is Shibuya's club asia—a club resembling a melting pot of culture that, coincidentally, shares the exact same age of 30 as ryuu.

"I want to make this an ALL NIGHT LONG unlike anything anyone has ever seen before."

What is ryuu thinking, and what moves is he planning to make?
To uncover the full scope of this challenge—from the emotions poured into this ALL NIGHT LONG set to his career so far and where he stands today as a DJ—we sat down for an interview.

—The late-night ALL NIGHT LONG on Thursday, September 17th is finally right around the corner.
Why did you choose this timing for an ALL NIGHT LONG set?

I turn exactly 30 on September 10th this year.
I'm entering my 30s, so when I was thinking about doing an ALL NIGHT LONG set to really fire myself up,
asia reached out to book me for their anniversary, and I realized, "Wait, I'm the same age as asia!!"
When I casually mentioned that to Midori, this is what came of it. (laughs)
Plus, asia's logo has a dragon (Ryu) motif, and my name is also Ryu. (laughs)
It felt like, "I've just gotta do this!!"

—What a coincidence! (laughs)
This is your second time doing an ALL NIGHT LONG set, and the first was held in Sendai, right?
What kind of party did the last one turn out to be?

It's my second time! The first was three years ago, right when I was leaving Sendai.
As for what kind of party it was... honestly, it was total chaos. (laughs)
I wanted to party together with all the people who took care of me in Sendai,
so while the broad framework was an ALL NIGHT LONG set, I set aside time for B2B sessions with the seniors who taught me how to DJ, as well as B2B sets with juniors who helped out with "Riyuu."
It was set up so that while I was basically playing solo, at the end we were all doing B2Bs while I stayed in the booth the entire time.

—This time you'll be playing solo all the way until the end, so I'm sure that's a big difference, but what makes this event unique, being three years in the making and your first one since moving to Tokyo?

Last time was my hometown, so it was held under circumstances where it was super easy for me to do my thing.
This time, it's an ALL NIGHT LONG set built upon the connections I’ve made from scratch with everyone over these past few years, and after carving out my own playground, so I'm extraordinarily fired up.
Since it's Tokyo to begin with, there are all kinds of partygoers, and I think there's a good chance people who don't know me at all might just wander in.
I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of impact I can make on those people, and what kind of reactions will come out of it.

—I feel like your DJ style endlessly crosses over all sorts of genres, ryuu. What kind of roots or turning points led to that style?

Actually, I used to be a live-house kid.
I was really into melodic hardcore and artists playing at rock festivals,
so I knew nothing at all about HOUSE, HIPHOP, or R&B.
From there, a senior invited me to try DJing, which led me to start hanging out constantly at Sendai's SHAFT, where I got exposed to dance music and all kinds of genres.
I think my current style gradually developed from there.

—Was there a key person during that transition?

I've been saying this forever, but the one who influenced me most is ShioriyBradshaw, a senior from my hometown who is still constantly active on the front lines!
No matter how many times I went to her gigs, she always dropped all kinds of genres while making them completely her own color. That hit me so hard, and I realized DJs with that kind of style actually exist.
That experience might be my very foundation.
Also, of course, there's Marty back home, whom I've deeply respected ever since I started DJing!

—Coincidentally, ShioriyBradshaw also has an ALL NIGHT LONG set this same month!
Among the things you've learned from your seniors, what are you particularly conscious of?

I really want to prioritize the groove of the floor, so I try hard to constantly watch the faces and movements of the crowd. I think I use that to shape the flow of the set.

—It's so true that you're always watching the floor while DJing.
There are moments where I can kind of tell you're going in to target someone individually, and I've been on the receiving end of that too. (laughs)

Some people think club door covers are expensive, while others don't mind it at all; everyone is different, so I never want anyone to walk away thinking, "I paid good money for this and it was boring."
It makes me sad when I see someone sitting in the back just messing with their smartphone, so maybe there's a part of me that doesn't want to leave those people behind.

—Spot on. I've seen people sitting on the sofa on the floor suddenly snap their heads up at a track you dropped and rush right to the front to dance. (laughs)

Depending on a DJ's style, people might look at it and think, "Aren't you just playing anthems?"
But I want the people who came out to think, "This DJ is interesting," and hopefully create an opportunity for them to enjoy themselves even if they go check out other floors.
I guess I hope I can serve as that kind of spark.

—The way you use anthems is amazing. Like, "Wait, he's daring to play *that* song right now?!"

KEN-chan (kenchantokyo) gave me huge praise for that before. (laughs)
At EPOCH, he was like, "The guts you had right before Osawa-san were insane."

—For EPOCH, we put in a special offer for Osawa-san (Shinichi Osawa) to play the newly renovated LOUNGE floor, and we asked you to handle the slot right before him, ryuu.
In a way, that was a legendary night.
What track did you transition to him with again?

I think it was COWBOY BEBOP. (laughs)

—That really is gutsy. (laughs)

—You get along great with all the asia staff, ryuu, but do you have any fond memories or crazy incidents at asia?

Oh, there are tons of those. (laughs)
My first appearance was probably asia lab, hosted by Hype Sync Records.
The second time I played was wild too.
I was drinking like crazy just like I used to in Sendai, and during my set, a switch suddenly flipped—I ripped off my T-shirt and blasted THE BLUE HEARTS. Next thing I knew, I was asleep back here in the green room.
asia is always an ordeal for me...

—It's an ordeal for us every time you're here too, ryuu. (laughs)
You've been in Tokyo for about three years now—has anything changed for you?

I think I party an unfathomable amount compared to when I was in Sendai.
In Sendai, clubs naturally wrap up in the morning, and after a party ends, the only thing to do is hit an izakaya. But in Tokyo, there's this crazy culture called after-hours, right?
Ever since I discovered that, I've been staying out until insane hours...
But thanks to that, I've met so many people, learned about so much music, and encountered so many cool DJs, so it's been truly great.
It gives me so much inspiration too.
On my own, there's a limit to how I can build a set, but by listening to other DJs, learning from them, and drinking well past nightfall into noon... I've definitely been partying too hard. (laughs)
Partying at after-hours might have built up my stamina, though!

—It's the classic course: hit the after-party, go to Yamaga, then head to Kappa. (laughs)

One time, right after asia ended, we bar-hopped from Yamaga to Kappa drinking from early morning, then heard asia's daytime event was starting, so we went back to asia and downed HABUSH, and then for some reason bought coffee and all crashed on the rooftop of Miyashita Park together.

—If I remember correctly, that was the after-party for the EPOCH night we just talked about. There are all kinds of after-parties! (laughs)
Are there any DJs or parties you encountered at an after-hours that completely blew you away?

It might come as a surprise, but the ones I saw in the morning that totally blew my mind were KO UMEHARA-san, CALPISS-san, and SUNGA-san.

—Man, getting to hear their DJ sets in the morning is truly the best.

Right?! It was probably at Asahachi.
I really want to emulate that flow, but I honestly thought, "I could never pull that off."
Because everyone's already been listening hard to dance music all through the night, right?
To go back out to another club after that is a massive deal in itself, so if the DJ misses the mark even a little, people will immediately feel like, "I just wanna go home."
Yet listening to their sets, even though your body is definitely exhausted and at its absolute limit, they keep elevating the vibes, making you feel like, "Let's keep going!!!" They deliver sets like that every single time. It feels totally presumptuous of me to say, but I really wish I could play a set like that.

—Actually, the reason I immediately said yes to this ALL NIGHT LONG proposal is that, while we talked earlier about how wonderful your use of anthems is, that's precisely why you mostly play peak-time slots at asia, ryuu. But I had always wanted to hear you play that kind of after-hours set as well.
Normally when you get booked, I imagine you think about the party's flow and vibe, so I wondered what you would play when that isn't the case.

It's true that I want to try playing deeper grooves, but the venues I usually get booked at don't give me many chances for that. That's why I also throw a party called "Yuri" at LIVEHAUS.
I run it with the idea of bringing out a side of ryuu's DJing that people wouldn't usually expect.

—asia staff members Utchi and Ryota performed there too, right?
From the perspective of two people who have shared the stage with you, what is ryuu like to them?

Utchi) Just seeing his name on the flyer gets me hyped. (laughs)
Ryota) When I'm working and see ryuu-kun is performing, I brace myself. (laughs)

—That's crazy, but awesome. (laughs)
Solo all-night sets are usually around 5 or 6 hours, but as much as you can share, what kind of flow are you envisioning this time?

The main premise is that I want everyone to have a great time, so I want to DJ in a way that feels like you're visiting a theme park.
There are intense roller coasters, and there are chill rides—I want to express all of that in this day's set!
That said, what specific track to play and when is something you can only know on the floor that night, so I just hope I can cook it up nicely.

—In the copy you asked kobachi to write, it also said "roller coaster."
When it comes to an ALL NIGHT LONG set, it can't be a roller coaster the entire time, so as a ryuu fan, that part is really intriguing.
Many DJs tackle ALL NIGHT LONG sets, but what do you think is the unique color or difference of your solo night?

Probably being an overwhelming all-rounder.
I feel like a genre-crossing solo night like mine is kind of rare.
So whether someone doesn't really get dance music but loves HIPHOP, or vice versa,
or someone who dislikes vocal tracks but loves minimalist dance music—I want to entertain them all.
I just want all kinds of people to feel free to drop by and hang out.

—Plus, entrance is free!
An ALL NIGHT LONG set for asia's Thursday party is a first-time endeavor, right?

The asia Thursday parties feature a lot of experimentally interesting lineups, and every time I look at those flyers, I think, "This is so sick."
I'm an all-rounder myself, and I want to open up various drawers and drop all kinds of tracks, so I thought Thursday would be best.
Lately, it feels like clubs everywhere are buzzing on Thursdays, so please feel free to make this part of a club-hopping night.

—Since this is the year you enter your 30s, do you have a vision for your future self?

I have this definitive feeling that this ALL NIGHT LONG set will serve as a catalyst for whatever comes next.
I don't know the specifics yet, though. (laughs)
I just hope I can level up even more!
My 20s were pretty much a period of training.
I played tons of parties and steadily built my own style in my 20s,
and in my 30s, I want to take that and let my true colors explode outward.

—You also hang out in Nichome a lot, ryuu. How did your connection to the Nichome community start?

Originally, I absolutely loved a party called fancyHIM.
It's a party held at AiSOTOPE LOUNGE that fuses fashion and electro.
As I kept going, I fell in love with it, and that became my gateway to discovering the queer community.
I eventually started DJing at other parties hosted by fancyHIM, and my bookings kept growing from there.

—kenchan took me along to AiiRO CAFE in Nichome for the first time the other day, and you just happened to be there. (laughs)
I felt like that open DJ booth must really sharpen your DJ skills.
Especially in Nichome, there are lots of people with great taste in house and dance music, so DJing for that crowd seems like quite the proving ground.

On top of that, it's a tourist destination, so there are tons of international visitors.
Inbound tourists have very pure, honest reactions, so if it's not working, they genuinely won't dance.
Keeping customers in the venue is key, so my use of anthems and overall pacing might have been honed right there.
A lot of the trump cards and ideas I use at other gigs were cultivated there. (laughs)

—Any wild or bizarre stories from Nichome?

Actually, something happened just recently.
I was playing the closing set when another performer suddenly rushed into the booth and asked, "Do you have any songs from Gokusen?" When I said I did, they frantically told me, "Yankumi is prepping in the back right now, so if you play a Gokusen track, she can perform immediately!" So at the right moment, I dropped "NO MORE CRY."
Then that person yelled toward the back, "Girl, you're on!" Wondering what on earth was going on, I looked over, and this crazy drag queen wearing a red tracksuit and a braided wig appeared.
What's more, she was totally trashed and made her entrance crawling across the floor. (laughs)
I still don't know what that was all about.

—Classic Nichome. (laughs)
We'll also have GOGO dancers joining as SPECIAL GUESTS this time, so it looks like that Nichome flavor will be in the air, which is super exciting!
If you were to compare your DJing to food, what do you think it would be?

Oh, that's such a great question~.
I think this is a common DJ dilemma, but when people ask, "What do you usually play?" or what kind of DJ I am, I'm often at a loss for words. The phrase that popped into my head back then was "Osechi DJ."
Like how various dishes are packed into a multi-tiered jubako box, and you savor a little bit of everything. It's varied, yet it holds together nicely.
That's why I titled a mix I gave to a junior "osechi sound."
I'm the type who struggles with playing the same genre of music for hours on end, so I like tasting a little bit of everything.

ryuu - ℴ𝓈ℯ𝒸𝒽𝒾 𝓈ℴ𝓊𝓃𝒹𝓈.:*:･’ﾟ☆｡.:*:･’ﾟ★｡.:*

—An "Osechi DJ" might actually be surprisingly fitting for an ALL NIGHT LONG set.
It's a cliché question, but for an Osechi DJ like you, ryuu, what is a club to you?

I think it's an exciting place where human connection matters most.
Honestly, I believe it's not just a place to listen to music.
Of course, the premise that it's a place to enjoy music comes first.
However, so many people work hard to build that space and that dance floor, and it's a place where connections with those people and connections with everyone who listened to my DJ set intersect. So I truly believe my DJing and career exist entirely thanks to all of them.
Clubs are places of genuine heart and humanity. (laughs)
Music and human warmth!

—Lastly, please share your enthusiasm for this upcoming ALL NIGHT LONG event!

I might end up completely wrecked, or I might get ridiculously hyped—
either way, everything is totally unpredictable.
I might get scolded, or I might get praised. (laughs)
I'm filled with excitement for the unknown!
I hope I can share that feeling with everyone!

—The DJ booth is a safe haven, after all. (laughs)

No way, it's gonna be a non-stop firing line! (laughs)
But the impact of this flyer has been incredible, and thankfully, lots of people have messaged me saying they'll definitely come out.
The scary part is, almost everyone saying that is a massive drinker.

—An ALL NIGHT LONG isn't something done alone; it's something created together by the staff and the crowd, so all of us on staff are ready to take on the night with you!!

—Also, while this was originally scheduled to be held in the 1F LOUNGE, it was abruptly moved to the Main Floor! The vibe will likely be totally different from what was originally planned for the 1F LOUNGE, so could you give us one more message regarding your ALL NIGHT LONG set on the Main Floor?

I'm genuinely terrified.
One day, when I went to SALOON in Daikanyama, Sue-san was there. When I went over to say hello at the very end of the night, he went, "By the way, why don't you just do it on the main floor?"

!?!?

So we talked about a bunch of things, consulted later with Midori-chan, and made it official.
In my eyes, asia's main floor carries a massive hurdle. It's a stage where countless artists have continuously whipped the crowd into a frenzy, and now I'm going to stand there. What's more, right when we hit the same age. (Since asia is also celebrating its 30th anniversary.)
Now I've just gotta do it. It's all about willpower. Energy.

I won't sugarcoat it. I truly want you to come experience this night where I put everything on the line!

ryuu

Born in Miyagi Prefecture in 1996. Started his DJ career in 2017 at "YODOSI" held at Sendai CLUB SHAFT. With an open-format play style unbound by genre, he has hijacked dance floors across Tohoku, Tokyo clubs, and beyond.

Organizer of "Riyuu," a project centered around Sendai's youth scene.
He crafts parties by inviting icons from various industries as guests.

Beyond DJing, he also works as a photographer, with experience shooting artist stills and street snapshots.
Armed with his unique creative instincts, he is active across multiple fields.

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