The lo-tech nickname Takkyu (Japanese for table tennis) may seem an odd moniker for a man responsible for some of the world's most hi-tech music, but Takkyu Ishino inhabits an odd world.
'When I was 18, and we were listening to punk bands, everyone had an English name,' he says. 'I wanted something crazy and different. I'd played table tennis when I was a kid at school, and I liked the way the name sounded.'
The Japanese producer/DJ has been setting the pace in the world of techno for more than 20 years, and is now returning to Hong Kong, where he has a loyal following. Ishino (born Fumitomi Ishino) has long had a soft spot for the city: he first played here 10 years ago at a large event marking the handover. 'I love it in Hong Kong,' he says. 'Hong Kong has a certain energy - it reminds me of Tokyo in that way.'
He says he's particularly happy to be part of the celebrations marking the 10th anniversary of the handover. For his fans, there will be a feeling that they've almost come full circle since the special administrative region was established in 1997.
Since the handover, he's returned once a year on average. 'My first time playing Hong Kong was at Hitec [in Kowloon Bay]. I've played big clubs and small clubs there since then. Either is fine. Big clubs have a crazy energy and smaller places have a special feeling because you're close to the crowd.'
How was Hong Kong back then? Ishino laughs. 'It was dangerous. Wild.' He says it's become safer, although he says Hong Kong crowds have the best energy in Asia. 'It's unique. There's a big British influence in Hong Kong', which Ishino says has helped local fans shed the inhibitions apparent in some other Asian cities.
For the handover anniversary party, Ishino will perform at Western Market in what's shaping up to be an extravagant affair. He's no stranger to large venues, and has the distinction of being the only Japanese DJ to play the Siegessaule at the climax of Berlin's Love Parade. His first appearance at the finale of what's the largest techno festival in the world was in 1998. 'It's my favourite venue. I played there three years in a row to about 1.5 million people. The feeling was incredible.'