Murakami and Japanese Literature

Japanese literature is increasingly prominent on Danish bookshelves, and interest in stories from Japan is growing.

Using Murakami and his distinctive relationship with cherry blossoms as a starting point, Mette Holm presents five contemporary female authors who have each left a clear mark on Japanese literature: Hiromi Kawakami (Sensei's Notebook), Sayaka Murata, who achieved international success with Convenience Store Woman, and Asako Yuzuki, whose bestseller Butter was published in Danish in spring 2026. She also discusses Yu Miri and Erika Kobayashi, both of whom write about lesser-known aspects of Japanese society.

Mette Holm also explores the translation process itself: how do you bring a language so distant from Danish all the way to a Danish book publication - and how do these books reach readers?

Mette Holm holds a degree in Japanese and anthropology and has spent 35 years translating Haruki Murakami and numerous other Japanese authors. She has also written subtitles and dubbed films - including nearly all of Miyazaki's films - and leads literary tours to Japan.