At Tokyo Book Faire
July 14, 2019Bought “Spider Monkey at Night“; Murakami ‘s advertorial short-short stories collection written in the 1980s and published in 1995.
After the Quake in theatre
July 14, 2019Theatrical adoption of After the Quake is starting end of this month in Tokyo. Katsumi Kiba plays Mr Frog this time several years after he had performed Nakata in KoS. I wonder if both characters have a similar mission to save the world to some extent.
New short stories on the Bungakukai magazine
July 10, 2019Lunchtime reads of Murakami’s new short stories released this week: With the Beatles; Yakult Swallows Poems. It is sometimes difficult for a 70 years old man to write his young days’ memories without annoying nostalgia for younger readers. However, Murakami did a good job (as always) by writing it with tracing the edge of fictional/true […]
Super-Frog guards Tokyo
June 8, 2019Frog amulet for “come-back-safe” can be purchased at Kanda Myojin, the shrine for the tutelary deity of Tokyo. “You said before that you have come here to save Tokyo from destruction?” “That is what I said.” “What kind of destruction?” “Earthquake,” Frog said with the utmost gravity. (Super-Frog Saves Tokyo, 1999) As both toads and […]
Sanyodo Bookstore
June 4, 2019The interview on the recent Mainichi Shimbun Newspaper is displayed in the window at this beautiful bookshop beloved by the author.
New essay: Abandoning a Cat
May 10, 2019Today’s lunchtime read is “Abandoning a Cat: What I Talk About When I Talk About Father”; Murakami’s childhood memoir on cats and his family, especially his late father. It was just published this morning without notice on Bungeishunju (文藝春秋) magazine and filled with his family memories which have not been written before now. Its subtitle […]
Murakami translated John Cheever’s short stories
March 24, 2019Weekend lunch reads of John Cheever’s short stories translated by Murakami. May I share the preface written by Murakami enlighting the treasure of modern literature; “More than 30 years, I have been thinking about translating John Cheever’s short stories. However, schedule-wise, I have had some other priorities and had put off to do so. I […]
That’s advanced capitalism for you
September 19, 2018Everything was proceeding according to the most intricate plans. That’s advanced capitalism for you (Dance Dance Dance Ch.7) On August 30, when Murakami was nominated for the new literary prize, the stock price of Bunkyodo, one of the largest bookstore chain in Japan jumped 15%. Yesterday, on the first trading day after Murakami’s withdrawal from […]
Udon Hoshino
September 3, 2018During lunchtime at the Udon restaurant named Hoshino, the conversation with Nakata was reminded: Nakata methodically enjoyed each and every noodle. “This udon is delicious,” he said. “Glad you like it,” Hoshino said.– Kafka on the Shore (Ch. 24). Hoshino1-11-2 Nihombashi-Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0022