The Haruki Murakami Library in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, is a place where any "Harukist," or a fan of Haruki Murakami, would find irresistible. Here, they can access about 3,000 books and a vast vinyl record collection personally donated by Japan's foremost novelist. The library also houses copies of Murakami's novels translated into over 50 languages, a testament to his worldwide popularity.
The library opened in October last year after Waseda University, the alma mater of Murakami, 73, renovated a five-story building with a basement on the campus. Designed by architect Kengo Kuma, whose works include Tokyo's new National Stadium, the library greets visitors with an arched wooden structure, creating a tunnel-like appearance that covers a staircase, with bookshelves on either side, leading to the basement. Through this architectural design, Kuma sought to express the feeling one may get when reading Murakami's novels, which often go back and forth between our everyday reality and another world.
