I’m really glad you brought up Ozu, because I think that his and Murakami’s works share this almost slice-of-life approach to literature that brings out the importance of everyday objects or activities.

I’ve noticed that most of my American friends get really excited after reading their first Murakami book, but then their enthusiasm flags quickly once they try to read a second. This may be because of Murakami’s repetitiveness, his writing’s lack of action or psychological energy that Americans expect from their entertainment. I’m sure these readers were sorely disappointed by 1Q84 and Colorless Tsukuru because they suggested that Murakami was becoming “comfortable” or “boring.”

As someone who’s read through all of his novels, I’m still trying to figure out the why behind his works. What happened to this guy that makes him want to write about this, again and again? What happened to me that makes me want to read about this, again and again? Like you, I also find his repetitiveness as interesting and not grating. But is it because we have a certain empathy or concern about the writer himself? It makes me wonder what happens in a reader to make them love the works of an Ozu or a Murakami. It’s definitely something I think a lot about now as being a reader becomes more and more a core part of my life.