Inside this book
« After Dark » takes place over the course of a single night in Tokyo. The story begins late in the evening and follows several characters whose paths gradually intersect. Among them is Mari, a young woman spending the night in a café, and her sister Eri, who remains immersed in a deep and mysterious sleep. Musicians, night workers, and other inhabitants of the city add further layers to the story.
Murakami turns the night into a space where the hidden aspects of ordinary life can emerge. Against a quiet yet unsettling urban backdrop, realism blends with surreal and mysterious elements. Tokyo becomes a reflection of loneliness, isolation, vulnerability, and the human desire for genuine connection.
With its cinematic pacing, atmospheric setting, and understated psychological depth, the novel offers an immersive portrait of a city after dark. It is an excellent choice for readers who enjoy contemporary Japanese literature, atmospheric fiction, surreal storytelling, and introspective novels about human relationships.