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'The tale of KAHO,' a Haruki Murakami novel with a female protagonist ... Bookstore staff prepare a countdown event for their customers to receive copies they pre-purchased, of author Haruki Murakami's new book titled "The Tale of Kaho," at the Kinokuniya bookstore in Tokyo, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae) TOKYO (AP) -- Haruki Murakami's new book went on sale in Japan on Friday, but dozens of enthusiastic fans marked the release at a countdown event at a major Tokyo bookstore to get their first copies as soon as the clock struck midnight. "The Tale of KAHO" is the Japanese author's first full-length novel featuring a lone woman protagonist, according to Shinchosha Publishing Co. "Kaho, a picture book author, is just an average young woman. But truly bizarre things start happening around her," Murakami said in a brief message posted on the publisher's campaign website. "I wrote this novel as I put myself in her shoes." His statement drew the attention of many fans, because most of Murakami's protagonists are young or middle-aged men. "I'm excited about finding out how the story evolves around a female main character," said Naoyuki Yamano, the first customer to buy the new Murak…

Murakami returns with new novel centered on female protagonist Haruki Murakami's new book went on sale in Japan on Friday, but dozens of enthusiastic fans marked the release at a countdown event at a major Tokyo bookstore to get their fir...

'The tale of KAHO,' a Haruki Murakami novel with a female protagonist, goes on sale TOKYO (AP) -- Haruki Murakami's new book went on sale in Japan on Friday, but dozens of enthusiastic fans marked the release at a countdown event at a

Fans mark release of new Haruki Murakami novel at midnight event in Tokyo Murakami’s first full-length novel featuring female protagonist releases in Tokyo

Haruki Murakami to release first novel in three years with 'The Tale of ... A new Haruki Murakami novel is arriving this summer, and with it, the promise of another enigmatic journey. Publisher Shinchosha announced Thursday that the internationally beloved author will release “The Tale of Kaho” on July 3, marking his first full-length work in three years. The 352-page novel will center on Kaho, a 26-year-old picture book author. According to the publisher, it is the first time Murakami has written a novel with a woman as the sole protagonist. He has, however, written female protagonists in short stories such as “Sleep” and “Thailand.” The book is a revised and expanded version of Murakami’s four-part “Kaho” series, which begins with the eponymous character going on a blind date with a rude motorcyclist (“I’ve dated all kinds of women in my life,” the man said, “but I have to say I’ve never seen one as ugly as you.“), followed by an encounter with an anteater couple and other strange occurrences. The series was originally published in the literary magazine Shincho, starting from its June 2024 issue through March 2026. An early installment, translated into English by Philip Gabri…

'The tale of KAHO,' a Haruki Murakami novel with a female protagonist ... TOKYO (AP) —Haruki Murakami'snew book went on sale in Japan on Friday, but dozens of enthusiastic fans marked the release at a countdown event at a major Tokyo bookstore to get their first copies as soon as the clock struck midnight. “The Tale of KAHO” is the Japanese author's first full-length novel featuring a lone woman protagonist, according to Shinchosha Publishing Co. “Kaho, a picture book author, is just an average young woman. But truly bizarre things start happening around her,” Murakami said in a brief message posted on the publisher’s campaign website. “I wrote this novel as I put myself in her shoes.” His statement drew the attention of many fans, because most of Murakami's protagonists are young or middle-aged men. “I'm excited about finding out how the story evolves around a female main character,” said Naoyuki Yamano, the first customer to buy the new Murakami novel. Initially, the novel started as a short story titled“Kaho,”which Murakami rehearsed ata book reading eventtwo years ago at Waseda University, his alma mater in Tokyo, with Mieko Kawakami, a renowned female author and fan of h…

Japanese author Haruki Murakami releases 1st novel in 3 years globalnation / Asia Asia Japanese author Haruki Murakami releases 1st novel in 3 years Kyodo News / 09:59 AM July 05, 2026 Share: Copies of Haruki Murakami’s new novel “The Tale of Kaho” are placed in stacks at Sanseido Bookstore in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward on July 3, 2026. (Kyodo) Internationally renowned Japanese author Haruki Murakami on Friday released “The Tale of Kaho,” his first full-length novel in three years. The first print run will total 250,000 copies, with a simultaneous release of an e-book edition, the publisher Shinchosha said. The novel centers on a 26-year-old author of picture books named Kaho and is the first time Murakami has depicted a woman as the lone protagonist of a novel, according to Shinchosha. Article continues after this advertisement READ: Murakami calls for fight against history revisionism FEATURED STORIES GLOBALNATION Chinese academics claim Batanes belongs to China through Taiwan GLOBALNATION US, Iran trade new strikes in fight over Strait of Hormuz GLOBALNATION Renewed US-Iran war would hit Gulf countries hard The novel compiles and reimagines his four-part “Kaho” series, which was publ…

Haruki Murakami Releases New Novel With His First Sole Female ... Haruki Murakami has returned with his first full-length novel in three years, giving readers a new reason to revisit one of contemporary literature’s most recognisable fictional worlds. The Japanese author’s latest book, 'The Tale of KAHO', was released in Japan on July 3, 2026, by Shinchosha, arriving in both print and digital editions. The novel marks a notable shift in Murakami’s long career. For the first time in one of his full-length works, he places a woman at the centre as the sole protagonist. The story follows Kaho, a 26-year-old picture-book author whose life begins to tilt towards the strange after an unsettling encounter. Murakami’s fiction has often moved between the ordinary and the surreal , and this new work appears to continue that pattern while entering less familiar emotional territory. Breaking It Down How does Murakami's portrayal of women evolve in his new novel? What themes are prevalent in Murakami's storytelling? How does Murakami's use of surrealism function in his novels? Created with AI. 'The Tale of KAHO' grew out of a four-part series published in the literary magazine Shincho between …