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Tokyo is always changing and evolving. It is a canvas forever in the making, a narrative eternally unfinished, where each chapter adds a layer to the kaleidoscope of experiences.
Japanese architectural master Kengo Kuma once said that many people find redemption in Haruki Murakami’s novels, and he himself is one of them. When he first delved into Murakami’s novels, he felt as though he had been deeply drawn into a tunnel, with his thoughts drifting aimlessly. Upon finishing the last page, he was abruptly thrown back into reality, but the transformed self was no longer the same person anymore.
Therefore, when Kengo Kuma designed the Haruki Murakami Library at Waseda University in Shinjuku, Tokyo, he specially crafted a staircase-style bookshelf extending from the first floor down to the basement, with arched tunnel-shaped bookshelves connecting the open spaces of the library. It is as if these structures lead visitors into the literary world of Haruki Murakami.
Opened in the fall of 2021, the Waseda International House of Literature (The Haruki Murakami Library) houses Murakami’s works, books translated into various languages, literary reviews, manuscripts, as well as Murakami’s collection of records and used furniture. It serves as both a research centre for Murakami’s literature and a space for literary exchange.
Besides exploring the literary museum, visitors can take a leisurely stroll through the lush campus of Waseda University, immersing themselves in the serene and literary atmosphere.
For more information:
Website: www.japan.travel/en/my/
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Instagram: www.instagram.com/visitmyjapan/
