The Waseda International House of Literature is better known as The Haruki Murakami Library. The facility was made in tribute to the cult author who inspired its construction. Murakami himself conceived of the site as “a place that will allow you to pass through walls of all kinds.” As such, the Waseda International House of Literature is much more than just your average library: it’s a cultural hub that book lovers can enjoy.
Murakami’s World
Murakami’s writing is known for its combination of the surreal and the mundane, and architect Kengo Kuma designed the Haruki Murakami Library – situated on the campus of the writer’s alma mater – with this in mind. Natural materials are juxtaposed with flowing, futuristic lines to evoke a sense of stepping into the celebrated author’s world.
The Audio Room is where fans can listen to a selection of records once featured at Peter Cat, a Tokyo jazz bar Murakami ran with his wife before finding success as a writer. Next door in the Gallery visitors will find Murakami’s complete works in numerous languages, free to read inside the library.
Upstairs, the Lab offers a peek inside the small recording studio used by Murakami to produce his former radio show, alongside an area for listening to the author’s books in audio format. This floor also houses the Exhibition Room, which features limited-time exhibitions related to themes and motifs from Murakami’s writing, such as architecture and jazz.
The basement floor houses a recreation of the author’s home study and the Orange Cat Café.
Authors Alive
Even readers unfamiliar with Murakami’s work can find plenty to enjoy at the library. Connecting the first and basement floors is a wooden staircase surrounded by a striking arch-shaped bookshelf where visitors can browse texts selected for inclusion by literary luminaries from Japan and abroad.
The basement floor is also used as an event space for cultural talks, including ‘Authors Alive’, where writers share their work with a live audience – sometimes even in the company of Haruki Murakami himself.
