Haruki Murakami Releases First Full-Length Novel in Three Years, 'Kaho'

Acclaimed Japanese author Haruki Murakami has released his first full-length novel in three years, titled 'Kaho' (The Tale of KAHO), on May 3. Published by Shincho-sha, the novel is described with the tagline, 'I must find a way out of this world.' The book is available nationwide in Japan and through online retailers like Amazon Japan.

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I must find a way out of this world.

'Kaho' is an expanded version of four short stories previously published in literary magazines, now compiled and revised into a full-length novel. Spanning 650 pages of manuscript, the book comprises 352 pages. This marks Murakami's first novel since 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls' in 2023.

The novel is divided into four parts: 'Kaho and the Man on the Motorcycle,' 'The Ants of Musashisakai,' 'Kaho and the Termite Queen,' and 'Guardian Angel, Elephant Egg, and Scarlett Johansson.' The story begins with a man telling Kaho, "I've dated many women, but honestly, you're the first one I've found this unattractive." Within the narrative, Kaho encounters peculiar people and creatures, including talking ants and a couple who eat eggs, alongside surreal elements like Kaho confronting a termite queen attached to her mother with a knife.

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I've dated many women, but honestly, you're the first one I've found this unattractive.

Murakami explained through his publisher that Kaho, a "very ordinary young woman," experiences a series of strange events. He stated, "In this novel, I wrote from her perspective." He further elaborated in an interview with the Nikkei newspaper that his usual pattern involves weaving together reality and unreality, creating tension between them, which then develops into a story. However, he noted that with a female protagonist, the novel has a different atmosphere.

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In this novel, I wrote from her perspective.

This is Murakami's first full-length novel with a female protagonist. The 76-year-old author reflected that writing as Kaho made him see things from a woman's viewpoint. "Just as I observed the world through the eyes of a 15-year-old boy when writing 'Kafka on the Shore,' this time it became the perspective of a 26-year-old woman. Perhaps because of that, I sometimes felt a little scared walking alone at night, though as a man, I'm not sure how accurate that feeling is," he said. He also emphasized the importance of memories from meeting diverse people and hearing their stories as one ages, stating that these memories prompt him to write.

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Just as I observed the world through the eyes of a 15-year-old boy when writing 'Kafka on the Shore,' this time it became the perspective of a 26-year-old woman. Perhaps because of that, I sometimes felt a little scared walking alone at night, though as a man, I'm not sure how accurate that feeling is.