When Haruki Murakami writes his novels, he carefully writes the detailed settings one by one and constructs the characters accordingly. Although essentially fictional, his narrative is deeply intertwined with the place in which it is set, and as a result, composes a unique realism. 1Q84, set in Tokyo in 1984, is no exception. 1Q84 is […]
Murakami’s novels are known for their surrealism. Still, this surrealism does not exist independently but is further enhanced by the reality of the scenes and place names detailed in his novels. From the point of view of a local Tokyo resident who experienced the period in which the novel is set, the scenery and the […]
This post is for those who loved Kafka on the Shore and miss travelling abroad and includes a spoiler. When I wrote someplace in my novel, I always thought “there should be this place somewhere” “this place should exist somewhere”. So, I would be grateful if that place exists inside your brain, as the place […]
[SPOILER ALERT] This article includes information about Haruki Murakami’s “A Wild Sheep Chase”. I hope it helps you to extend your imagination to the scenes that appeared in the novel. A Wild Sheep Chase is set at three areas Tokyo: “I” lived, dated, married and divorced, and “Boss” lived Hokkaido: The Dolphine Hotel and the […]
The story starts at Expressway Number 3 in Setagaya ward, southwest part of Tokyo. In 1984, the elevated expressway has often congested; but these days, as the expressway system expands, the traffic jam is getting less. The Metropolitan Expressway No.3 was built as a part of the preparation for the Tokyo 1964 Olympic games. It […]
Although Murakami did not mention the name of the place, it is believed that the setting of After Dark (2004) is Shibuya, one of the most popular amusement districts in the heart of Tokyo. Our line of sight chooses an area of concentrated brightness and, focusing there, silently descends to it—a sea of neon colors. […]
Pictures of the places possibly appeared or mentioned in Haruki Murakami’s Sputnik Sweetheart. This Sputnik conversation took place at a wedding reception for Sumire’s cousin at a posh hotel in Akasaka. ―Haruki Murakami, Sputnik Sweetheart (Ch.1) Retrospectively, in 1999 when the novel was released, the term “posh hotel in Akasaka” reminds a place which is […]
Pictures of the places possibly appeared or mentioned in The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle In the afternoons I would go to a park—the Shinjuku Imperial Gardens or Yoyogi Park—to sit on the grass and cry. ―Haruki Murakami, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (Book one, Ch.8) Shinjuku Gyoen provides a sanctuary in the busy Shinjuku area. It consists of […]
Pictures of the places possibly appeared or mentioned in the novels of Haruki Murakami’s South of the Border, West of the Sun. She and I went to take a walk in Hibiya Park, where we had some coffee. ―Haruki Murakami, South of the Border, West of the Sun (Ch.5) Hibiya Park is close to the […]
Pictures of the places possibly appeared or mentioned in Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood. She had suggested that we leave the train, which we happened to do in Yotsuya, where the green embankment makes for a nice place to walk by the old castle moat. ―Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood (Ch.2) Yotsuya, literally means “four valleys”, is […]