Cover The late Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto (Photo: Getty Images)
The late Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto (Photo: Getty Images)
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M+’s major exhibition dedicated to Ryuichi Sakamoto opens in February 2026. In anticipation, here are 5 lesser-known facets of the Oscar-winning composer’s remarkable creativity.
The year 2026 will be a celebration of Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto (1952–2023) in Hong Kong, with M+ presenting a retrospective of his legacy, and the Hong Kong Arts Festival showcasing Kagami by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Tin Drum, a mixed-reality piano recital held in February and March next year.
Ahead of these exciting events, Tatler has put together a list of five unexpected moments of this music legend, who had pushed the creative boundaries of his art throughout his life.
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Beyond music, he was a model
Above Ryuichi Sakamoto attending Cannes, France in 1994 (Photo: Getty Images)
Ryuichi Sakamoto attending Cannes, France in 1994 (Photo: Getty Images)
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While Sakamoto is widely celebrated for his musical genius, he also ventured into modelling, a journey that began in childhood. As an adult, he appeared in fashion campaigns including Opening Ceremony’s AW19 lookbook, and modelled for brands such as Kyocera. His striking appearance in a 1981 photo book led to his role in the 1983 war film Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence.
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He was a director in Madonna’s ‘Rain’
Above The MV of ‘Rain’, featuring Ryuichi Sakamoto as the director
Sakamoto played the role of a director in Madonna’s 1993 music video for Rain. Directed by Mark Romanek, the video takes a behind-the-scenes approach, with Sakamoto portraying the filmmaker. Madonna had initially approached Jean-Luc Godard and Federico Fellini for the part, but according to Rolling Stone, Sakamoto was ultimately cast for his iconic status in Japan.
He held a positive view on AI
Above Ryuichi Sakamoto performing at Barbican Centre, London in 2018 (Photo: Getty Images)
Ryuichi Sakamoto performing at Barbican Centre, London in 2018 (Photo: Getty Images)
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In a discussion with director Joichi Ito at the MIT Media Lab, Sakamoto shared his progressive view on artificial intelligence. “I feel basically positive about the use of artificial intelligence and would not mind if artificial intelligence systems composed music,” he said. “I would praise the music they make if it was interesting. But I also think that the important thing would be the nature of the process and program applied in composing this music.” He added that artists should not imitate past composers but rather strive to evoke the same essence of beauty.
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He was behind the theme song of the Hong Kong crime thriller ‘Sons of the Neon Night’
Above The trailer of ‘Sons of the Neon Night’, which theme music was composed by the late Ryuichi Sakamoto
Sakamoto collaborated with Hong Kong director Juno Mak on the film Sons of the Neon Night, composing its title theme before his passing. The original score was created by Nate Connelly. Mak, who had not met Sakamoto prior to the project, connected with him through mutual contacts in Japan. He recalled in Deadline: “It was a very magical experience, because at that time Sakamoto was living in New York and I was working in Hong Kong, but about to fly to [South] Korea. We started talking, and I presented all the concept art, music references, and the vibe for the film. Sakamoto had this passion for cold weather as well. I think that’s what first intrigued him. Since we were quite far apart, we chose Tokyo as a middle point. That session was very special. We sat there for six hours; he began playing the music, and we discovered the film’s direction together.”
His legacy lives on after his death
Above Ryuichi Sakamoto performing at Barbican Centre, London in 2018 (Photo: Getty Images)
Ryuichi Sakamoto performing at Barbican Centre, London in 2018 (Photo: Getty Images)
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When Sakamoto passed away from colorectal cancer in 2023, the world was devastated. Yet his artistry continues to resonate through Kagami, a mixed-reality installation created by US-based studio Tin Drum — the same team that collaborated with Sakamoto in his final years. Using advanced motion-capture and spatial audio technologies, Kagami allows audiences to experience the composer as though witnessing a live recital. The work captures his serene intensity and enduring connection with the piano. Kagami will be presented in Hong Kong in February and March 2026 as part of the Hong Kong Arts Festival.
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Zabrina is the Senior Editor, Arts and Culture of Tatler Hong Kong. She specialises in performing arts, visual art and film. Her wanderlust was first fuelled by the Mighty Rovers Antarctica Expedition 2010. Over the years, she has interviewed A-list artists and filmmakers, including Oscar winners Chlóe Zhao and Tim Yip, Golden Horse winner Sylvia Chang, In the Mood for Love cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Pachinko author Min Jin Lee, and Coachella’s first Chinese solo singer Jackson Wang. She won gold at the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards for her 2021 feature on the waves of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
