Haruki Murakami and the Transition of Modern Culture —From the Perspective of Young Readers in East Asian Cities

Since the end of the 1990s, common phenomena can be seen in the youth culture of East Asian cities. The works they like to read have changed. Literature is no longer the most popular field for them. The number of people who like manga, animation, light novels, etc. is constantly increasing. And the way they read texts has also changed. If it can be said that most of the previous readers pay attention to interpreting the author’s thoughts or appreciating the storyline and style, many young readers now pay attention to the character. This means that they do not regard the work as an organic whole, but as a combination of several elements (=modules), and they appreciate each module separately. They also store the modules in their mind as a database, and take it out to rebuild the module freely, and then appreciate it again. This change has also brought about changes in readers’ request for works. If it can be said that former readers seek to get in touch with human, social, and historical truth through works, young readers now seek to communicate with fellow-friends through works. Behind this phenomenon are changes in the mood of young people. They feel a certain barrier to society, and many people have a sense of loneliness, blockage, and emptiness. It is not simple change in the trend from literature to subculture. It means the fundamental changes that modern culture has faced since its formation in the 19th century. The way Haruki Murakami ( 村上春樹 )’s fans read his works is a typical example of the changes in literary reading. They resonate with the sense of loneliness, blockage, and emptiness of the work. In a sense, Not only their reading method but also their activity is similar with the subculture fans. For example, exchange activities between fans are active. Judging from the situation of the fans of Haruki Murakami above, the readership of literary works seems to have begun to change. Haruki Murakami may be one of the very few writers who can adapt to such changes in the readership. Perhaps this is an important reason for his popularity all over the world. To this point, Haruki Murakami, like subculture, represents a major turning point in modern culture.