Haruki Murakami Will Answer Your Questions In His Brand New Advice Column

Life can present difficult conundrums. Should I get a pixie cut? Should I break up with my partner? Should I leave my former life behind and follow a sheep man into the mountains in order to find myself? Do I really like the song ‘Norwegian Wood’?

I often find myself wishing I had a delicate yet strong-willed Japanese uncle to guide me. I imagine catching the shinkansen to his mountain hideaway in Kyoto. As I trek up to his house I hear an obscure track weaving its way through the trees; perhaps Pat Boone’s ‘I’ll Be Home’. I slide open the rice paper door to his humble, well-organised home. As I take off my shoes I call in, “Haruki-san?” He says he is just slicing up some cucumber for us to dip into a light soy sauce. He brings it in on a tray and we split a beer. I feel refreshed. I sit down and I’m confident in the fact that while I’m probably taking the first step into a kawaii rabbit role, this man will be my champion, escorting me as he subtly corrects my way.

Then I realise I’m at home, the place is a mess and Haruki Murakami lives a full and rich life that doesn’t involve me at all. He’s off running marathons, opening jazz bars and winning accolades. He doesn’t have time for my lowly queries. Or does he?

Murakami’s publisher recently announced that he will be launching a website titled Murakami-san no toroko, aka ‘Mr Murakami’s place’. The site will be a space where Murakami’s fans can contact him directly with questions of any nature, in any language. Questions can be lodged over January and will be answered over the next two months.

While we have a name for the website there is currently no URL. Is this the beginning of a new plot? Is the website really just an old well that we should all sit in? Are the answers, in fact, inside us already?

It is probable.