Dance Dance Dance Places

Pictures of the places possibly appeared or mentioned in Haruki Murakami’s Dance Dance Dance.

Before noon I drove to Aoyama to do my shopping at the fancy-schmancy Kinokuniya supermarket. ―Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance (Ch.17)

After rebuilding in 2009, Kinokuniya supermarket is located on the basement floor of the shopping complex named AO: coincidentally the same name as one of the characters in colourless.

I walked to Harajuku. Then to Sendagaya past the stadium, across Aoyama Boulevard toward the cemetery and over to the Nezu Museum. ―Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance (Ch.17)

The Aoyama cemetery is a popular area for cherry blossom viewing in the season and a nice walk-around place for the rest of the year.

I walked to Harajuku. Then to Sendagaya past the stadium, across Aoyama Boulevard toward the cemetery and over to the Nezu Museum. ―Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance (Ch.17)

The Nezu Museum is famous with its private collection of Japanese and East Asian art, as well as its Japanese style garden.

I passed Café Figaro and then Kinokuniya ―Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance (Ch.17)

Café Figaro, as its name suggests, serves classic French-style dishes since 1969.

Gotanda and I sat down to another cup of coffee. It was like a commercial. A quiet morning, sun rising, Tokyo Tower gleaming in the distance. ―Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance (Ch.19)

It is always nice to see Tokyo Tower gleaming in the sunny morning in the city.

I’d leave the theater and walk my usual course. From Harajuku to the Jingu Stadium, Aoyama Cemetery, Omotesando ―Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance (Ch.20)

Jingu stadium is the place where Murakami was struck by the idea to write a novel when he was watching the baseball game on April 2, 1978 at his ageof 29.

I’d leave the theater and walk my usual course. From Harajuku to the Jingu Stadium, Aoyama Cemetery, Omotesando ―Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance (Ch.20)

Omotesando is an approach way from Aoyama Blvd towards Meiji Shrine.

“I’m sorry, it’s not my fault. I’ve been hauled down to the Akasaka police station for questioning. ―Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance (Ch.21)

The Akasaka police station is located on the other side of the Aoyama Blvd from the Crown Prince’s Residence.

I tooled the Subaru through the outer gardens of Meiji Shrine, down the tree-lined avenue before the art museum ―Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance (Ch.23)

The art museum can be seen from the tree-lined avenue connected to Aoyama Blvd.

I said. “To Tsujido we shall go. But what’s there to see in Tsujido?―Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance (Ch.23)

The white smoke trail from burning trash rose nearly straight up into the blue, and off to the left drifted the island of Enoshima, faint and miragelike. ―Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance (Ch.23)

Tsujido is a coastal residential area 50 km (31 miles) south of Tokyo. Unlike in the 1980s, a bonfire on the beach is rarely seen these days.

I walked to Harajuku and wandered through the teenybopper stalls along Takeshita Street.―Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance (Ch.25)

The word “teenybopper” clearly describes what Takeshita street look like both in 1980s and 2010s.

I walked to Meiji Shrine, stretched out on the grass and looked up at the sky. ―Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance (Ch.31)

Meiji Shrine is in the forest even though it is located in the heart of the city. Wedding parade can be seen on weekends.

Leaving the grounds of Meiji Shrine, I went into a backstreet café in Harajuku and had a good strong cup of coffee.―Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance (Ch.31)

Harajuku station is in authentic design and faces both quiet Meiji Shrine and extreme teenage fashion place.

When we reached Akasaka, Yuki asked if we could go sit somewhere. So I parked the Maserati in the lot, and we walked to the grounds of Nogi Shrine and found a bench.―Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance (Ch.33)

Nogi Shrine, located close to busy Roppongi, is dedicated to the general and his wife who followed the Emperor Meiji to the grave in 1912.

“I don’t know exactly. Somewhere in Gotokuji, I know. Could you find out for me?―Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance (Ch.34)

Gotokuji is a name of the residential area in Setagaya Ward as well as referring to the Buddhist temple which is known as a home of Maneki-Neko (beckoning cat).

The following afternoon they dredged the Maserati out of Tokyo Bay. As I expected. No surprises. As soon as he disappeared, I saw it coming. ―Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance (Ch.40)

Since the 1980s, the scenery of the bay area has been changed significantly except for this side of Shibaura Wharf.

We were at Yoyogi-Hachiman Station, where she was going to catch the Odakyu Line. ―Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance (Ch.41)

Yoyogi-Hachiman is a very ordinary station of Odakyu Line which connects Shinjuku and Shonan coastal areas.