ago. Like Toru Watanabe, the protagonist of Norwegian Wood, I was reminded of my own naïvety at that time. It was this coming-of-age story, which was hugely popular with Japanese youth, that brought Murakami to fame in 1987.

Wakeijuku (和敬塾)

The paved path leading from the gate circumvented the tree and continued on long and straight across a broad quadrangle, two three- story concrete dorm buildings facing each other on either side of the path. They were large with lots of windows and gave the impression of being either flats that had been converted into jails or jails that had been converted into flats. However there was nothing dirty about them, nor did they feel dark. You could hear radios playing through open windows, all of which had the sameIt turns out it is one of the foundations Three Rules designed to instill ‘sound intellect and moral mind needed for “to be the able man” in the society.’ Postmodern Japan it is not.

Toden Arakawa Line (都電荒川線)

I sat in the last seat and watched the ancient houses passing close to the window. The tram almost touched the overhanging eaves. The laundry deck of one house had ten potted tomato plants, next to which a big black cat lay stretched out in the sun. In the garden of another house, a little girl was blowing soap bubbles. I heard an Ayumi Ishida song coming from somewhere, and could even catch the smell of curry cooking. The tram snaked its way through this private back-alley world. — Norwegian Wood

The Toden